Any company establishing a presence across Africa has many challenges to overcome. Those problems multiply exponentially when you happen to be a consumer electronics provider like Samsung.
Unfortunately, the reality is that even BSc electronics graduates still need to be retrained for the workplace. Kea' Modimoeng, Public Affairs and Common Shared Values manager, Samsung Africa.
The Korean firm has been expanding its geographic reach aggressively and is no stranger to the debilitating effects of the lack of strong technical and technology skills in its new African operations.
"Being an electronics provider with an established business in Africa, we realise it's a promising continent, but there's also a great need for skills development. We acknowledge those realities as our point of departure as we do business in Africa," says Kea' Modimoeng, Public Affairs and Common Shared Values manager for Samsung Africa. "We established the Samsung Electronics Engineering Academy in 2011 to ensure that we have job-ready graduates. Unfortunately, the reality is that even BSc electronics graduates still need to be retrained for the workplace.
"As an industry leader, we said, 'Let us commit ourselves to creating the right kind of job entrants we need'."
The company now has three such academies in the main regions covering Southern, East and West Africa.
"In East Africa, we've seen positive growth... and interest in electronics and ICTs increasing by the day in terms of the education systems, with moves to create the classrooms of the future," he says.
East Africa's rapid rise as a centre of technological innovation and appetite makes it a key strategic hub for Samsung, which has been underscored with the opening of a second regional academy in Ethiopia in September.
Basic education and skills development are key to this programme, with Samsung continually building new partnerships with technical high schools, further education training colleges and universities.
"Maths and science really are the base for technical skills. We cannot over-emphasise the importance of this and that learners prioritise these subjects.
"For some reason, the amount of exposure learners get is not of the desired level. It's important to note that even in South Africa there are schools in townships that excel. It's important to realise that it's not all doom and gloom. I've seen schools in townships that are really driven."
First published in the October 2013 issue of ITWeb Brainstorm magazine
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