About Shaper
Shaper exists to transform Africa’s talent to meet global demand. Since opening our doors in 2015, we’ve been on a mission to combat unemployment by equipping young people with the in-demand, highly employable skills they need to succeed in today’s fast-moving world. But we don’t just develop talent, we shape future-ready professionals. Our programmes focus on cultivating well-rounded individuals who are equipped with both technical skills and the soft skills needed to thrive in the workplace. By immersing our learners in real-world, practical experiences, we prepare them to hit the ground running from day one. In 2024, we rebranded from The Digital Academy to Shaper, a strategic shift that reflects our commitment to crafting meaningful pathways to employment, career growth, and economic inclusion. We work hand-inhand with leading organisations to deliver training solutions that meet workforce needs while delivering real transformation.
At Shaper, we create solutions that deliver both business value and social impact, because we believe a thriving workforce benefits everyone.
The Role
As the Recruitment, Placements & Partnerships Lead, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring that our learners thrive, before, during, and after their programmes. Your responsibilities will include:
Recruitment of learners: Identify, attract, and screen suitable candidates for Shaper’s programmes, ensuring a strong pipeline of motivated and capable participants.
Securing workplace opportunities: Build and manage strategic partnerships with employers to provide high-quality workplace experience opportunities during learnerships, internships, and graduate programmes.
Post-programme employment: Actively support learners in securing suitable employment or absorption opportunities upon completion of their qualifications, driving long-term impact and career success.
Partnership building: Develop and maintain employer, industry, and community partnerships that create shared value for learners and businesses.
Impact measurement: Track outcomes, learner success, partner engagement, and employer satisfaction, ensuring data-driven improvements to placements and partnerships.
What We’re Looking For
- Proven experience in recruitment, talent acquisition, or workforce placement (ideally in education, HR, or social impact sectors).
- Strong ability to match talent with opportunities, from learner recruitment to post-programme employment.
- Established network of employer contacts and the ability to create new partnerships that open doors for learners.
- Knowledge of South Africa’s B-BBEE Skills Development landscape and the role of workplace experience in learnerships and internships.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with a solutions-driven mindset.
- Passion for tackling youth unemployment and driving measurable social and economic impact.
Why Join Shaper?
- Be part of a purpose-driven team tackling South Africa’s biggest challenge: youth unemployment.
- Influence both individual career journeys and national talent pipelines.
- Work with leading corporates and industry partners who value real transformation.
- Grow within a culture that values innovation, grit, and impact.
Job Type: Full-time
Work Location: In person
