Khanyisile Sokhela, a third-year student at Independent Institute of Education (IIE)-Vega Bordeaux, was named the winner of this year’s Absa Design Hackathon after she impressed a panel of Absa judges with her digital solution aimed at helping the bank attract one million new customers. The IIE Bachelor of Experience Design student competed with entrants from other tertiary institutions for a 2026 internship at Absa.
Now in its fifth year, the Absa Design Hackathon was originally launched during the Covid-19 lockdown as a virtual event. In recent years, it has become more intentional about targeting tertiary institutions.

Read more: IIE-Vega student takes top spot at Absa Design Hackathon

For Absa, the hackathon serves as both a recruitment tool for their design team, and a pipeline to funnel top talent into their graduate programme, and broader hiring process. The bank is also working with institutions such as the Tshwane University of Technology, Greenside Design Centre, and the University of Johannesburg.

Gemma Faerch, design director at Absa, explained that the decision came from personal experience, and wanting others to have a smoother transition from tertiary into building a creative career. “The hackathon is our way of sharing our experience in the industry, and providing guidance to students so they can make informed career choices.

“We specifically focus on exposing students to user experience (UX) design, giving them the opportunity to demonstrate what they’ve learned from, and worked on, with Absa. This experience becomes a valuable addition to their CVs when applying for jobs after graduation”

Faerch added that they are looking for the top talent in the country, and that IIE-Vega has a reputation in the industry for producing excellent designers.

Sokhela received a backpack filled with Absa merchandise, including noise cancelling headphones and a speaker. This was her second year participating in the hackathon, also placing in the top five in 2024.

This year, she created a youth-focused education campaign called: We Grow Together, aimed at boosting financial confidence among 20 to 30-year-olds. The campaign offered a culturally relevant and interactive digital experience to teach financial literacy, including a TikTok led content strategy, a gen Z focused microsite, and features for communal saving. “As new adults, financial freedom is scary, but my campaign shows that, with Absa’s help, it’s something we can embrace.”

Her microsite included infographics on big purchases, like buying a car or a house, and a dedicated section for content creators on how to manage irregular incomes. TikTok was chosen as the campaign’s partner because it’s familiar to gen Z users.

Reflecting on the experience, Sokhela encouraged other students to get involved. “It’s a form of networking – showing yourself, your work, and your potential.”

The top five students selected for this year’s hackathon were all from the Bordeaux campus:

• Khanyisile Sokhela (third year IIE Bachelor of Experience Design).
• Kayla de Kock (first year IIE Bachelor of Experience Design).
• Blessing Mtetwa (second year IIE Bachelor of Communication Design).
• Savanna Bloem (second year IIE Bachelor of Experience Design).
• Wezi Lehlohonolo Phiri (second year IIE Bachelor of Experience Design).

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