African Global Skills Academy

What African Global Skills Academy does

African Global Skills Academy (AGSA) is a South African private training company established in 2003 and headquartered in Randburg, Johannesburg. The company delivers accredited education and skills programmes to adult learners across five core verticals: hospitality, tourism, conservation, sport, and gaming. Its product portfolio comprises NQF-registered National Certificates and FET Certificates covering cookery, food and beverage services, accommodation, tourism guiding, nature conservation, sports administration, gaming operations, and craft enterprise, supplemented by CATHSSETA-accredited short skills programmes, a catalogue of business and management short courses, and ancillary services including catering, consulting, payroll administration for learner stipends, and e-learning development.

AGSA operates a B2B sales-led model, reaching clients through direct business development, referrals, and tender submissions. Revenue is generated primarily through learnership and skills programme delivery funded by Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) grants and government skills development levies, with secondary income streams from consulting work and catering services to government departments, private companies, and NGOs. The company holds accreditations across nine SETAs (CATHSSETA, SERVICES SETA, FOOD BEVSETA, AGRISETA, LGSETA, ETDP SETA, FP&M SETA, EWSETA, MICTSETA) and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), and delivers training through four regional offices across Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Eastern Cape, complemented by an e-learning platform for distance delivery. Headcount is in the 51–100 range, the company is B-BBEE compliant and black-owned, and cumulative graduate output is reported at 4,633+ across tourism (568), conservation (3,500), sports (65), and hospitality (250).

Name

African Global Skills Academy

Legal name

African Global Skills Academy (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://africanglobalacademy.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

African Global Skills Academy is a South African SETA-accredited training provider, founded in 2003, delivering NQF-registered qualifications and skills programmes in hospitality, tourism, conservation, sport, and gaming, funded primarily through SETA grants and government contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB)

Keywords

• Accredited skills development
• Hospitality training programs
• SETA learnership delivery
• Vocational education training
• Distance learning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Randburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Learnerships and Skills Development Programmes: Delivery of accredited learnership programmes and skills development programmes to adult learners, primarily funded through SETA grants
2. Consulting Services: Consulting work in training, human resources development, catering, skills audits, and project management of educational services including payroll and work integrated learning
3. Catering and Canteen Services: Provision of catering services and canteen and management of hospitality-based events to government departments, private sector and NGOs
4. Payroll Services: Payroll services related to payment of stipends to learners on training programmes
5. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): Establishment of policies and procedures for implementing Learnerships and recognition of prior learning

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

African Global Skills Academy delivers accredited learnerships, skills development programmes, and short courses in hospitality, tourism, conservation, sport, and gaming to adult learners across South Africa, primarily funded through SETA grants. The company also provides catering and canteen management, events management, consulting in training and HR development, payroll administration for learner stipends, and e-learning initiatives to support blended delivery.

Product overview

African Global Skills Academy (AGSA) is an education and training provider offering a portfolio of accredited qualifications, skills programmes, and short courses primarily focused on hospitality, tourism, conservation, sports, and gaming sectors. The core offerings include NQF-registered qualifications (National Certificates and FET Certificates) spanning accommodation services, professional cookery, food and beverage, tourism guiding, nature conservation, sports administration, gaming operations, and craft enterprise. Supporting these are CATHSSETA-accredited skills programmes such as Food Service Assistant, Assistant Chef, Field Ranger, and Conservation General Assistant. A comprehensive short courses catalogue covers business, management, and personal development topics. Additional services include catering and events management, consulting, and e-learning development. The company operates from multiple locations across South Africa (Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Port Elizabeth).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Certificate: Accommodation Services NQF Level 2 qualification (SAQA ID: 14110) covering accommodation services operations, worth 120 credits, delivered over 12 months, aimed at adult learners entering hospitality roles such as housekeepers.
• National Certificate: Professional Cookery NQF Level 4 qualification (SAQA ID: 14111) in professional cookery skills and kitchen management, worth 145 credits, delivered over 12 months, preparing learners for chef roles.
• National Certificate: Food and Beverage Services NQF Level 4 qualification (SAQA ID: 14113) covering food and beverage service operations, worth 133 credits, delivered over 12 months, targeting bar and food service roles.
• FET Certificate: Hospitality Reception Further Education and Training Certificate (NQF Level 4, SAQA ID: 64469) for hospitality reception operations, worth 126 credits, delivered over 12 months, aimed at reception and front-office roles.
• FET Certificate: Craft Enterprise Further Education and Training Certificate (NQF Level 4, SAQA ID: 48809) in craft production entrepreneurship, worth 161 credits, delivered over 12 months, aimed at crafters and small enterprise owners.
• FET Certificate: Sports Administration Further Education and Training Certificate (NQF Level 4, SAQA ID: 67697) covering sports administration and management, worth 172 credits, delivered over 12 months, for administrators, coaches, and fitness instructors.
• National Certificate: Nature Conservation Resource Guardianship NQF Level 4 qualification (SAQA ID: 17174) in nature conservation and resource protection, worth 3 credits, delivered over 12 months, for field rangers and conservationists.
• FET Certificate: Nature Conservation – Natural Resource Guardianship Terrestrial Further Education and Training Certificate (NQF Level 4, SAQA ID: 63109) covering terrestrial natural resource conservation, worth 8 credits, delivered over 12 months, for terrestrial conservation roles.
• National Certificate: Tourism Guiding Tourism guiding qualification (SAQA ID: HSP/RmAttd/2/0023) for tour and cultural guides, worth 17174 credits at NQF Level 8, delivered over 4 days, for tour guides, event managers, and adventure guides.
• National Certificate: Gaming Operations NQF Level 3 qualification (SAQA ID: 63269) covering gaming operations and casino management, worth 3 credits, delivered over 12 months, for gaming operations staff.
• Food Service Assistant Skills Programme CATHSSETA-accredited skills programme (HSP/FdSrvA/2/0023) for food service assistants, NQF Level 2, 16 credits, delivered over 5 days, for hospitality food service roles.
• Assistant Chef Skills Programme CATHSSETA-accredited skills programme (HSP/AssChf/2/0022) for assistant chefs, NQF Level 2, 52 credits, delivered over 20 days, for entry-level culinary roles.
• Field Ranger: Protected Area Skills Programme Conservation skills programme (CONS/FIERANGPROTAREA/2/0050) for field rangers in protected areas, NQF Level 2, 37 credits, delivered over 17 days, available in armed or unarmed variants.
• Conservation General Assistant Skills Programme Conservation skills programme (CONS/CONSGENSASS/2/0052) for general conservation assistants, NQF Level 2, 50 credits, delivered over 20 days, for general conservation support roles.
• Short Courses Portfolio Portfolio of short courses including Time Management, Team Induction, Facilitation, Diversity in the Workplace, Coaching, Basic Accounting, Self Development, Small Business Finance, HIV/AIDS in the Workplace, Business Writing, Performance Management, Presentation Skills, Customer Care, Effective Communication, Team Building, Entrepreneur Skills, Ethics, Change Management, Conflict Management, Emotional Intelligence, Administration Management, Budget Management, Health & Safety, Customer Relations, Negotiation Skills, and Tendering/Costing.
• Catering and Events Management Services Provision of catering services, canteen management, and hospitality-based events management services to government departments, private sector companies, and NGOs, leveraging AGSA's hospitality expertise.
• Consulting Services Consulting work in training, human resources development, catering, skills audits, and project management of educational services including payroll administration and work integrated learning, for government departments, private sector, and NGOs.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CATHSSETAcoreOthersCulture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport SETA - Primary accreditation body for AGSA's core training programmes in hospitality, tourism, conservation, volunteer programs, and creative industries.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Speccon Holdings: South African SETA-accredited technical and artisan skills provider offering learnerships, skills programmes, and trade qualifications to corporate and public sector clients, mirroring AGSA's accreditation-driven B2B training model.
• Tjeka Training Matters: South African artisan and technical skills training provider with multiple SETA accreditations delivering learnerships and trade qualifications nationally, competing for the same SETA grant pool and corporate training spend.
• Africa Skills Academy: South African SETA-accredited skills training provider focused on vocational learnerships and skills programmes; competes directly with AGSA in the B2B training and government tender space.
• Primeserv Group: JSE-listed workforce solutions group with a training and skills development arm that operates a comparable SETA-funded learnership and B2B training model, targeting similar government and corporate clients in South Africa.
• Training Force: South African SETA-accredited training provider offering learnerships, skills programmes, and short courses across multiple sectors; competes directly with AGSA in the B2B and government training market.

Broad incumbents

• STADIO Holdings: JSE-listed higher education group encompassing multiple brands and qualifications. While focused on degree-level offerings, it competes for the same South African training market and government skills funding.
• Damelin Correspondence College: Established South African private tertiary and vocational education provider offering accredited qualifications across multiple sectors; broader scope than AGSA but serves similar adult learner segments seeking accredited credentials.
• Curro Holdings: JSE-listed private schools and higher education group with national footprint. Overlaps with AGSA's training focus through vocational and skills programmes and competes for general South African education spend.
• ADvTECH Limited: JSE-listed private education group operating multiple tertiary and training brands across South Africa. Significantly larger than AGSA and operates across a broader portfolio, but overlaps in vocational and professional training.
• Boston City Campus: South African private higher education and training brand offering vocational, certificate, and diploma programmes nationally; comparable B2B and consumer adult learner focus to AGSA, though with broader portfolio and higher education emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AGSAJHB
• Xx.com/sa_agsa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/african-global-skills-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about African Global Skills Academy