South Africa has launched a national strategy to position itself as a global leader in digitally enabled business services. The GBS Skills Strategy 2025–2030 provides a roadmap for developing an agile, inclusive, and AI-ready workforce that meets the evolving demands of the global business services (GBS) industry.
Launched by BPESA during the National GBS Conference in Durban, the strategy supports South Africa’s GBS Master Plan, which aims to create 500,000 net new jobs by 2030.
It also seeks to expand youth employment and prepare workers for AI-augmented roles that are reshaping global service delivery.
Building the workforce of tomorrow: AI readiness and inclusive growth
The plan focuses on 12 strategic priorities designed to enhance agility, competitiveness, and long-term employability. These include demand-driven curriculum reform, leadership development, impact sourcing, professional pathways, and the creation of new job families aligned with AI and digital transformation.
BPESA said these areas will help build a future-ready workforce capable of supporting digitally enabled and AI-augmented global services, underscoring the need for demand-led training, inclusive hiring, and digital innovation.
Developed in partnership with international BPO operators, training institutions, government agencies, and social partners, the strategy emphasizes employer-aligned learning, modular training, and cross-sector collaboration to ensure that training aligns with real industry demand.
BPESA will establish a Project Management Office and a National GBS Skills Committee to oversee implementation, backed by governance, monitoring, and evaluation systems.
Industry leaders called for unified, ecosystem-wide collaboration. “By aligning BPO employers, training organizations, government, funders, and stakeholders around a unified skills agenda, we can create a talent pipeline that is agile, inclusive, and future-ready,” said Keith Rosmarin, BPESA skills portfolio lead.
Industry leaders identified AI readiness as a top priority. Concentrix executive Adam Walker highlighted leadership capability gaps amid rapid digital transformation, emphasizing that AI-focused training is crucial for maintaining productivity and innovation.
South Africa strengthens global appeal with new GBS value proposition
Coinciding with the strategy launch, BPESA introduced a refreshed National Value Proposition to boost South Africa’s global competitiveness. The GBS workforce grew from 65,000 in 2019 to 150,000 in 2024, while industry revenue nearly tripled to $3 billion, driven by steady foreign investment.
BPESA CEO Reshni Singh said South Africa’s competitiveness lies in its cost efficiency, service maturity, infrastructure, and English-proficient workforce. The country delivers 55–65% cost savings compared to locations such as Dallas, Manchester, and Sydney, she added.
Impact sourcing remains a defining advantage: 90% of new hires are youth, and 30% come from households with no prior employment history.
“As Africa’s digital economy grows, impact sourcing provides a blueprint for inclusive development—creating jobs, building skills, and transforming futures,” said Lizelle Strydom Pottier, managing director of CareerBox.
As the GBS Skills Strategy 2025–2030 is rolled out, experts say that coordinated skills development will be vital to sustaining South Africa’s growth and keeping its workforce competitive in an AI-powered global economy.
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Macayan, D. (2025, December 8). South Africa launches GBS skills strategy for 2025–2030. Outsource Accelerator. Retrieved from https://news.outsourceaccelerator.com/south-africa-gbs-skills/
BPESA NATIONAL. (2025, November 27). BPESA GBS 2025 Event Opening Video 2025 | South Africa GBS Value Proposition Highlights. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbRy4V8v_JQ
