Johannesburg, 17 Apr 2014
Dedicated EMC partner Puleng Technologies has entered into a joint agreement with EMC Southern Africa to offer previously disadvantaged individuals the opportunity to gain valuable technical competency, mentorship and certification across the EMC storage product portfolio.
Paul Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Puleng Technologies, says: "Since inception, Puleng Technologies has had a hugely successful, focused graduate programme. We have been looking for one of our large global supply vendors to invest in the overall vision of the programme. EMC Southern Africa recognised the importance of the skills development relevant to its technologies and the role of Puleng in its partner community, and was eager to participate."
Servaas Venter, Country Manager of EMC Southern Africa, comments: "Focusing on quality skills development programmes with EMC's storage technologies and integration with peripheral infrastructure significantly benefits the local market place. It reassures customers that EMC technology can be supported locally in a cost-effective, sustainable manner. This investment in local skills supports EMC in delivering on our promises of managing customers' transformation."
The 12-month programme kicked off on 1 April 2014 with nine previously disadvantaged individuals.
It will demonstrate tangible results and associated success in three ways:
* Development of fundamental skills across EMC solutions.
* Commitment to South African Black Economic Empowerment legislation by creating skills and employment opportunities within the previously disadvantaged community.
* Competitive differentiation, by demonstrating to customers a medium-term roadmap offering skills, resulting in reduced total cost of ownership for solutions provided by Puleng and EMC. Customers will also be presented with an opportunity to recruit individuals from the programme on achievement of certain milestones.
Commenting on the rationale behind the programme, Thompson says in the global IT industry, competent technical skill is the single largest contributing factor in achieving project success.
"Project issues such as project finance, executive sponsorship, solution architecture and technology all benefit from organisational attention during a project initiation phase and are appropriately managed. However, the associated technical skills that offer the ability to design, implement, operate and administer solutions are critical. This is the difference between 'short time to value' - influenced heavily by cost of ownership - and project failure," he explains.
According to Thompson, this situation is further exacerbated in South Africa by a severe lack of competent technical skills. South Africa has suffered an exodus of high-end design and implementation professionals seeking higher earnings capability in foreign countries.
In addition, there has been insufficient focus on the development of fundamental skills as a platform to the long-term development of high-end skills.
"In South Africa, many of the large vendors who provide infrastructure solutions have received regular customer feedback regarding the lack of local skills required to support their proposed solutions. Of small consolation is the fact that this feedback is not specific to the EMC family. Competitors suffer alike in addressing this challenge," he says.
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