In 2013/14, the CHDA in partnership with the CHDM Executive mayor's office, launched the community skills bursary fund, targetted at young people from the Chris Hani region who have passed Grade 12, and want to pursue studies in a tertiary institution.  The bursary fund was setup with an initial R 2 million cash injection by the CHDM, for CHDA to select, recruit a total of 24 learners into the first intake cycle of the bursary fund programme.

A total of 18 bursary receipients graduated in 2016, with a second intake cycle held in January 2016, from whcih the bursary fund has a total of 22 students enrolled currently in 2016/17, with key areas of learning focus for the bursary fund have been Engineering, Agricultural Sciences, Tourism, Finance / Accounting Studies, Mining and  Forestry.

In April 2017, the CHDA secured 15 bursaries with Construction Seta )CETA) for Civil Engineering students, as well as 13 bursaries from the MICT Seta, on ICT and related studies.