NQF Level 5 · QCTO-aligned · Made in Mzansi

Train for the AI economy.
Get a qualification that says so.

Soul Tribe Academy pairs a nationally registered Occupational Certificate in AI Software Development with fast-moving, hands-on generative-AI upskilling — so you leave with both a credential employers recognise and skills you can use on Monday morning.

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NQF 5
SAQA ID 118792
Occupational Certificate Artificial Intelligence Software Developer — registered under MICT SETA, quality-assured by the QCTO.
Credit breakdown — Occupational Certificate: AI Software Developer
Total 209 credits
86 Theory
63 Practical
60 Workplace
Knowledge modules — AI & 4IR, maths & stats, governance & ethics, ML/DL theory Practical modules — Python, SQL, TensorFlow, applied ML builds Workplace-based learning & logbook
What you can study

Three ways in, one destination.

Whether you're starting from zero or already shipping with AI tools, there's a track built around where you are — from a full accredited qualification to short, practical upskilling sprints. The QCTO-registered qualification is delivered in person to its accredited cohort; every other program is online and open to learners anywhere.

Flagship qualification
SAQA 118792 · NQF 5

Occupational Certificate: AI Software Developer

A full, nationally registered qualification covering AI & ML theory, applied Python and data engineering, and workplace-based practical experience.

209 credits MICT SETA In-person · QCTO cohort
  • Maths, statistics & computing theory for AI
  • Machine learning & deep learning (TensorFlow, neural networks)
  • Databases, ETL & data visualisation
  • AI governance, ethics & POPIA compliance
  • Workplace logbook & assessed practical build
Self-paced · 16–23 months

AI Generalist Track

A five-level applied roadmap for people who want to work fluently across today's AI tools — no coding background required to start.

Zero-code entry Project-based Online · open to all
  • L1 Foundations — prompting & the PRD method
  • L2 Context & connections — RAG, MCP
  • L3 Multimodal creation — image, video, voice
  • L4 Agents & automation
  • L5 Vibe coding — shipping real software
Cohort-based · Short course

Generative AI Mastermind

A focused, workbook-driven cohort on today's working AI stack — for professionals who need practical fluency fast, not a full qualification.

Hands-on labs Cohort support Online · open to all
  • AI workflows & the Ask-Check-Recommend method
  • Building custom Claude Projects & Artifacts
  • Image & video generation for content and ads
  • No-code automation with n8n
Every intake ends the same way

From first module to certificate in hand.

Whichever track a learner starts on, the journey ends with real recognition — a formal certification ceremony for Occupational Certificate graduates, and a verifiable digital certificate for every short-course and workbook completion.

209
Credits behind the flagship certificate
5
Short-course & workbook certificates
1
Ceremony, at the end of every cohort
Collage of diverse Soul Tribe Academy learners and graduates
How the qualification is sequenced

The Occupational Certificate, level by level.

Knowledge modules build the theory; practical modules put it to work; workplace learning proves it holds up on the job. This is the order learners move through.

01Knowledge

Foundations of AI & the 4th Industrial Revolution

Overview of AI, computing theory, maths & statistics for AI, design thinking, and the future-of-work context AI sits inside.

Linear algebraProbability & statsDesign thinking
02Knowledge

Data, governance & machine learning theory

Databases and data visualisation, AI governance and ethics (including POPIA compliance and bias/explainability), plus the theory behind AI, ML and deep learning.

ERD & normalizationBias & XAIETL
03Practical

Building with data and code

SQL and database work, Python web scraping, and building AI solutions in Python — the hands-on counterpart to the knowledge modules.

SQLPythonWeb scraping
04Practical

Machine learning & neural networks in practice

Building and evaluating ML solutions, plus TensorFlow-based neural networks covering CNNs, RNNs and transformers.

TensorFlowCNN / RNNTransformers
05Workplace

Team collaboration & workplace-based learning

Ethics and collaboration as part of a technical team, GitHub-based teamwork, and a logged, assessed period of workplace-based learning.

GitHubTeam ethicsLogbook
Short-course library · Online, open to all

Workbook-led sprints, for when you need one skill fast.

Each workbook is a single hands-on lab you can complete in under an hour — built for learners who want a specific, current AI skill rather than a full course. Delivered online, so anyone can join regardless of where they're based.

Lab 01

Image & video generation

Build a short AI-generated video ad end to end — prompting, image-to-video, and camera-movement control.

Lab 02

Claude Projects

Turn a repeated task into a custom AI assistant with a defined style and a reusable system prompt.

Lab 03

Building Claude Artifacts

Go from a single prompt to a working web app, dashboard, or internal tool in one sitting.

Lab 04

AI workflows in practice

Move from one-off prompts to repeatable workflows using the Ask-Check-Recommend method.

Lab 05

No-code automation with n8n

Wire up an AI-powered support automation — trigger, classification, drafting, and logging.

Why the paper matters

A qualification you can point to.

AI skills move fast, but hiring managers and institutions still ask for proof. The Occupational Certificate: AI Software Developer is registered on the National Qualifications Framework and quality-assured through the QCTO and MICT SETA — so what you complete here is verifiable, not just a certificate of attendance.

Qualification
Occupational Certificate: AI Software Developer
SAQA ID
118792
NQF Level
5
Quality council
QCTO
SETA
MICT SETA
Total credits
209

The Occupational Certificate: AI Software Developer itself is a nationally registered qualification (SAQA ID 118792). Soul Tribe Academy's application for accreditation as an approved provider of this qualification is in progress with MICT SETA, acting on behalf of the QCTO — this page will be updated to reflect confirmed provider accreditation once it is granted.

Confirmed Microsoft Learn for Educators partner institution
Extending the qualification

Bringing Microsoft Learn programs into the Academy.

Soul Tribe Academy is a confirmed Microsoft Learn for Educators partner institution, with active access to the MSLE portal for course registration and facilitator resources. Learners on the Occupational Certificate: AI Software Developer can now begin layering globally recognised Microsoft credentials onto the same modules they're already studying — rather than starting a separate course from scratch. The programs below are the ones we've identified as the closest fit to our QCTO curriculum; availability of each still depends on that program's current requirements on Microsoft Learn.

Separately, Soul Tribe Academy is a recipient of Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub Azure credits, which support the infrastructure behind our AI course tools, including the Janine course assistant below.

AI-900

Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals

Entry-level credential covering core AI, machine learning, computer vision, NLP, and responsible-AI concepts on Azure.

Maps to: Knowledge modules — Overview of AI & 4IR, Intro to AI/ML/Deep Learning
DP-900

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals

Core data concepts — relational and non-relational data, data warehousing, and analytics on Azure — as a grounding for AI work.

Maps to: Data, databases & visualisation module
AI-102

Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate

Building and deploying AI solutions using Azure AI services — natural language, vision, and generative AI, provisioned and consumed through code.

Maps to: Practical modules — building AI solutions in Python, applied ML builds
DP-100

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate

Designing, training, and deploying machine learning models using Azure Machine Learning tooling.

Maps to: Advanced ML & deep learning modules, TensorFlow neural network builds
Applied Skills

Microsoft Applied Skills — Generative AI with Azure OpenAI

Short, scenario-based Microsoft credentials that verify a single practical skill, such as building a solution with the Azure OpenAI Service — quicker to complete alongside coursework than a full certification.

Maps to: Practical modules & the Generative AI Mastermind short course
Educator toolkit

Microsoft Learn for Educators facilitator resources

Curated Learn content, official practice assessments, and facilitator materials that Soul Tribe instructors would use to deliver Microsoft-aligned content inside our own cohorts.

Maps to: Delivery of all knowledge & practical modules

How the Microsoft credential is earned: once you've completed the matching modules above, you sit the official Microsoft exam through the MSLE portal using an exam voucher allocated to Soul Tribe Academy — the certification itself comes directly from Microsoft, not from Soul Tribe, once you pass. Voucher availability is managed per cohort; your facilitator will confirm timing and booking once you reach the relevant point in the curriculum.

Program names, exam codes, and requirements shown here reflect Microsoft Learn's certification catalog at the time this page was drafted and have not been re-verified against Microsoft's live catalog — confirm current names, codes, and prerequisites on Microsoft Learn before publishing this section or citing it in the Microsoft Learn for Educators application itself.

Why we built Soul Tribe Academy

Accredited where it counts. Practical everywhere else.

A lot of AI training is either a real qualification with no practical currency, or a flashy workshop with no recognised standing. We built Soul Tribe Academy to hold both at once — an NQF-registered qualification for people who need the credential, and short, current, tool-by-tool upskilling for people who need the skill right now. Built in South Africa, assessed against a national standard, and kept current with how AI tools actually get used at work.

209
Registered credits, NQF 5
5
Applied AI Generalist levels
60
Workplace-based learning credits
5
Hands-on short-course labs
Next intake

Start with a conversation, not a commitment.

Tell us where you're starting from and what you want the qualification or skill to do for you — admissions will point you at the right track.

  • Emailadmissions@soultribeacademy.co.za
  • Websitesoultribeacademy.co.zaRegistered in the organization's name; domain verification in progress with Microsoft Learn for Educators
  • HoursMon–Fri, 08:00–17:00 SASTTeams calls available by arrangement
  • Based inSouth AfricaPrograms delivered online, nationwide