Skills / Job Search & Entry-Level Careers

Touch Typing and Online Safety

By the end, you can touch type at 30 words per minute or more with good accuracy, and you can spot and report common online and job scams.

Job-ready skillAbout 30 hours3 stagesFree

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Touch typing (typing without looking at the keyboard) is a basic requirement for admin, data capturing and call centre jobs. Online safety protects you from the fake job offers, phishing messages and identity theft that target South African job seekers.

Turn on JavaScript to track your progress. The lessons are:FoundationsLearn correct hand position on the home row and start typing without looking at the keys.Task: Complete the home-row and top-row lessons on a free typing site (TypingClub or keybr) and take a one-minute typing test. Write down your starting words per minute (WPM) and accuracy.Core skillsBuild speed and accuracy, and learn the basics of staying safe online: strong passwords, two-step verification and recognising phishing.Task: Practise typing 15 minutes a day for two weeks and record your WPM each day in a table. In the same period, turn on two-step verification for your email account and write a list of five warning signs of a phishing message.Applied practiceReach a job-ready typing speed and protect yourself from job scams.Task: Take three typing tests and keep a screenshot or certificate of your best result (aim for 30+ WPM with 95% accuracy). Then write a one-page guide for a friend: five signs of a fake job offer (for example being asked to pay for training or uniforms), and how to report it to SAPS or the employer.

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What competent looks like

Types at 30+ WPM with at least 95% accuracy without looking at the keys
Uses strong, different passwords and two-step verification
Recognises a phishing email, SMS or WhatsApp message
Knows that real employers do not charge you to apply or for training
Knows where to report a scam

The South African route

There is no regulator for typing. Prove your speed with a typing test certificate or screenshot showing WPM and accuracy. ICDL (International Certification of Digital Literacy), offered in South Africa through accredited test centres, is a widely recognised proof of basic computer skills. Report suspected job scams to SAPS (Crime Stop 08600 10111).

Free resources

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Jobs it can lead to

Data capturer
Admin assistant
Call centre agent
Typist
Receptionist