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The Innovation Hub launches third CoachLab programme to develop leaders in ICT, engineering sector

By The Innovation Hub
Johannesburg, 28 Feb 2014

The Innovation Hub, in collaboration with the South African Graduates and Development Association (SAGDA) and North West University, launched its third CoachLab programme on 26 February 2014 at the North-West University in the Vaal Triangle in Vanderbijlpark. The MEC for Gauteng's Department of Economic Development delivered a keynote address at this inaugural event.

The Innovation Hub Africa's first accredited science and technology park is a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), which is an agency of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development Department.

In 2014, CoachLab@Vaal will have an inaugural intake of 10 information and communications technology (ICT) graduates. The graduates have been sponsored by the Media Information and Communication Technology (MICT) Seta, the Jobs Fund and the South African Graduates and Development Agency.

CoachLab is a postgraduate leadership programme for ICT and engineering students run from The Innovation Hub in Tshwane in collaboration with the University of the Witwatersrand's Johannesburg Centre for Software Engineering. It is supported by prominent industry partners, government, academia and educational institutions that are all committed to establishing of a diverse skills base in the ICT sector. This year will also see the introduction of additional CoachLab programmes in the green economy and biosciences. CoachLab is fully sponsored by the MICT Seta and industry partners who support skills development as a means to alleviating poverty through employment. The programme runs annually from March to November in which the graduates are required to work on projects with assistance from industry experts, personal coaches and mentors.

"This collaboration between the private sector, academic institutions and The Innovation Hub fits comfortably into our vision to position Gauteng as a smart province by tapping into the pool of skilled graduates and boosting their leadership and business acumen," says the group CEO of the GGDA, Siphiwe Ngwenya.

"We are pleased to have launched the third Coachlab programme in Gauteng. This new institution will impact 10 youth who have completed an initial three-year formal qualification with the aim of exposing them to dynamics in the ICT industry. We are very proud of our partnership with the Jobs Fund, the MICT SETA and the South African Graduates and Development Agency, which have assisted us to bridge the skills gap that exists in the ICT and engineering sectors," says The Innovation Hub's CEO, McLean Sibanda.

For more information on GGDA or The Innovation Hub: call 012 844 0030 or 076 7179878, follow us on twitter @InnovHub and facebook InnoHubZA.

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GGDA

The Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), previously known as Blue IQ and GEDA, is a merged entity by the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED). The Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) is the implementation arm of the GDED and assists the department in leading, facilitating and managing sustainable job creation and inclusive economic growth and development in the Gauteng City Region.

The Innovation Hub

The Innovation Hub, a subsidiary of the GGDA, is Africa's first internationally accredited Science Park and a full member of the International Association of Science Parks. It is strategically located in Tshwane, South Africa's executive capital in the 'smart' province of Gauteng. As the leading knowledge-intensive business cluster in South Africa, The Innovation Hub implements initiatives identified in the Gauteng Innovation Strategy and Green Economy Strategy to advance the economic development and growth of the province through innovation.

For more information, visit www.theinnovationhub.com.

Editorial contacts

Linah Nematandani
The Innovation Hub
lnematandani@theinnovationhub.com