South Africa's IT Skills Export to U.S. in Groundbreaking Deal
South Africa's trade union Solidarity has signed a groundbreaking agreement with Propay Prime U.S. to export South African IT skills to the United States. The deal, hailed as a 'successful micro-trade agreement', aims to create a new sector for skilled South Africans to earn in dollars while living and working in rands.
The agreement, spearheaded by Propay Prime U.S. Managing Director Peter Wesseloo, recognises the strong work ethic of Solidarity members as highly sought after in the U.S. market. The initial phase focuses on online IT skills, enabling South African professionals to work remotely for U.S. companies.
Solidarity's Chief Executive, Dr. Dirk Hermann, sees this initiative as a response to the government's failure to secure a trade agreement with the United States. The union has developed an online platform to connect South African professionals with international employers and plans to launch a staffing agency to facilitate this remote export of skills. The long-term goal is to expand the model to include sectors such as finance, online education, communications and design, engineering, project management, and administration.
The agreement aims to generate thousands of employment opportunities over the next five years, offering access to work without discriminatory barriers. Both parties hope this 'successful micro-trade agreement' will serve as a model for future collaborations, providing a pathway for South African professionals to compete globally while remaining at home.
