New partnership lets people who live in South Africa work for companies in the United States

PrimeShore connects South African accountants with leading United States firms, giving them access to the world’s most lucrative accounting and tax market.

It gives accountants the chance to gain international experience, expand their skills, and grow an international career without leaving South Africa.

One of PrimeShore’s partners in South Africa is the trade union Solidarity. Its CEO, Dirk Hermann, said that many Akademia students have benefitted from this programme.

“PrimeShore, which connects South African accountants with job opportunities in America, has already hired Akademia graduates,” he said.

“They live in South Africa and work online for companies in America. They see more and more firms looking to Akademia for talent.”

Kim Rath from PrimeShore said that they have received encouraging feedback from the market about Akademia graduates.

“There is growing recognition of Akademia graduates. In fact, some firms are increasingly looking towards Akademia for accounting talent,” she said.

“In certain cases, even ahead of the more traditional established universities like Pretoria, Stellenbosch, and UCT.”

She said that they have already hired Akademia graduates this year and that it was encouraging to see the institution building a strong reputation.

“This is impressive, particularly in an industry where South African professionals are competing on this international stage,” Rath said.

Hermann said that this is why they build institutions. “These institutions help young people to reach their full potential and compete with the best in the world,” he said.

Dirk Hermann explains Akademia’s appeal

Akademia is a private university founded in 2011 by the Solidarity Movement. It opened its doors in Pretoria in March 2012 with its first group of 40 students.

It is registered as a non-profit company with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) under the Higher Education Act of 1997.

In the first decade, Akademia expanded its academic offerings across multiple faculties, including Economic Sciences, Law, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Education.

The institution surpassed 3,800 students and opened a full-time campus in Paarl, Western Cape, in 2025.

Akademia is currently constructing a major R3.2 billion private residential campus in Mooiplaats in Pretoria East.

The institution is also planning a new campus in the Western Cape, in the Winelands area, to meet the province’s growing needs.

Hermann said that the compliments from Kim Rath at PrimeShore confirm that Akademia is doing the right things.

“They are saying that Akademia students are more sought after than students from some of South Africa’s best universities,” he said.

“The reason for that is not because they receive classes in Afrikaans or in English. The reason for that is the value system that comes with the university.”

“The work ethic that comes with it, the formation of the student. Now that is a scarce commodity, and it is going to become even scarcer in the future.”

“We salute Akademia for the fact that they manage to make our students the most sought-after students in the country.”