The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi) has partnered with Media24 on a graduate programme which aims to provide unemployed youth from the Western Cape with ICT skills.
The Hub @ Media24 initiative aims to train 16 young coders for entry level positions at two of Media24's businesses: 24.com and Spree. The pilot programme, which is currently under way, takes place at the Bandwidth Barn, CiTi's business incubator in Woodstock, Cape Town, says Media24.
According to CiTi, the non-profit organisation has been working to close the gap in the shortage of technology, specifically coding, skills in the Western Cape for the past six years.
The Hub @ Media24 is modelled on the various CapaCiTi programmes, which between 2011 and the end of 2016 will have trained and placed 900 candidates in IT jobs at more than 100 leading companies in the Western Cape, including Old Mutual, Woolworths and now also Media24.
Over the next six months, says CiTi, the students will be trained in PHP, NET, JavaScript and Android programming languages - all used by Media24. In addition to gaining practical coding experience, the students will be given support and training in the wider skills required to find a job as a coder, including professional skills such as interview techniques.
Media24 chief executive Esmar'e Weideman says Media24 has the largest digital media platforms and applications in SA in its stable, with over 100 software developers working across Web, mobile and OpenSource.
"Media24 is at the forefront of the digital media revolution in SA and we're diversifying our business into new revenue streams like e-commerce and e-fashion, and job classifieds. We snap up more software developers than the market can supply. And so we've taken to training the tech talent we need by partnering with CapaCiTi," she explains.
The graduate programme, she adds, aims to close the skills shortage gap by not only providing IT training, but also preparing young people for tech jobs at the "coolest" media company.
Alethea Hagemann, head of the CapaCiTi skills development programme at CiTi, says SA is facing ICT skills shortage for a range of reasons.
"These range from a lack of awareness of IT as an exciting career prospect at school level, to the misperception that you need a university computer science degree to break into this field.
"What's more, a lack of practical experience and little business behaviour modelling mean too many graduates remain unemployed after completing their tertiary education. The CapaCiTi programmes were developed to bridge this gap by fast-tracking candidates into their first IT jobs," she notes.
CiTi CEO Ian Merrington says the programme will ensure the opportunities in the Cape region flourish.
"CiTi is the cog that brings together business, job seekers and training programmes to collectively drive the region's tech economic growth. With a 96% placement rate, more than 900 graduates by the end of 2016 and a network of 150 recruiting companies, CapaCiTi is the go-to provider of employment-focused IT training in the country," he concludes.
Share