Big leap for MiDO Academy

The MiDO Academy in Jamestown has officially received accreditation by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) as a national Skills Development Provider (SDP).

This recognition enables the academy, which is committed to supporting youth development and cybersecurity readiness across South Africa, to offer the Occupational Certificate: Cybersecurity Analyst (NQF Level 5, 173 Credits). It is a first-of-its-kind programme on the national framework designed to combat SA’s cybersecurity-skills shortage.

The accreditation is not just a win for MiDO, but also a significant leap forward for the South African cybersecurity ecosystem. “This accreditation is a game-changer,” said MiDO Academy CEO Dale Simons. “It allows us to equip young South Africans with industry-relevant cybersecurity skills that are nationally recognised, practical and in high demand. At the same time it offers South African organisations a credible partner for building internal cyber resilience while advancing their enterprise development and skills strategies.”

For companies partnering with MiDO as a QCTO-accredited SDP there are numerous benefits such as:

• training and hiring job-ready cybersecurity analysts with verified competencies;

• supporting a purpose-driven, youth-focused training initiative that delivers measurable transformation and socioeconomic impact;

• investing in a high-impact, nationally recognised qualification that contributes directly to organisational cyber resilience;

• the blended learning model includes formal instruction, simulated exercises, and supervised workplace experience; and

• benefiting from Section 12H tax deductions, Skills Development Levy returns, and enhanced B-BBEE scorecard contributions when investing in accredited training programmes through MiDO.

With cybercrime on the rise and a limited pool of skilled defenders, SA faces an urgent need to develop local cybersecurity capacity. The QCTO-accredited qualification ensures that learners acquire both the theoretical foundation and hands-on workplace readiness to defend against real-world threats.

Through the programme, MiDO aims to empower underrepresented and underserved youth, particularly young women, to enter the digital economy, creating pathways into high-impact careers.