Business Connexion plays its part in grooming SA youth

Jobs and skills shortages, especially among the youth, are issues that continue to make headlines and have even made it to the top of President Jacob Zuma's agenda. There is no doubt that these issues pose a challenge for South Africa and its economy.

In an effort to help government address these issues, as well as develop a talent pipeline, Business Connexion runs an internal Graduate Internship Programme, which aims to equip graduates with skills that will enable them to become employable citizens.

In support of this goal, as well as in line with Business Connexion's strategic goal of attracting, developing and retaining talent, The Human Resources Learning and Development Department, along with various divisions that include Services, Technology and Innovation to name a few, will be hosting Graduate Open Days during youth month. These will be held at Business Connexion's head office, in Midrand, as well as its regional offices in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, East London and Durban.

The main objective of the 'open days', which will take place later this month, is to invite top students from South Africa's tertiary learning institutions to come and engage with the business first-hand. The students will have the opportunity to learn about Business Connexion, the services and solutions it offers, various careers in the ICT sector, as well as the opportunity to apply for the 2013 Graduate Internship Programme.

Business Connexion is constantly on the lookout for new talent, but also prides itself in helping to groom individuals in their areas of expertise in the ICT industry. “Technology plays a vital role in today's world, and what better way to reach out to a tech savvy youth than through open days, where they can come in and experience the technology on offer at Business Connexion!” says Grace Dipale, Business Connexion Group Executive for Human Resources (HR).

There are currently 150 young people who are being groomed through the Business Connexion internship programme of 2012, and they are spread across various divisions.

“It is a great opportunity for me to be trained at Business Connexion because it is a company that encourages innovation and excellence, and this motivates young people, like myself, to excel in what I do. Every day is a chance to learn something new and develop further as a professional,” says Rositta Mbanze, Marketing and Communications intern.

The aim of this programme is to provide interns with the opportunity to gain practical workplace experience related to their fields of study. When asked, Mpendulo Ntlengethwa, an intern in the Services division (Voice Technology), said: “I am grateful for the opportunity that Business Connexion has given me because I have now learnt about Nortel and Cisco technologies, in the practical sense.”

The inclusion of this practical component at the workplace provides graduates with a competitive advantage in the labour market, and will result in them gaining valuable experience and exposure to the workplace.

“We understand the challenges faced by the country and our business with regards to education and specialised skills. That is why we are committed to helping build a skilled labour force, and Business Connexion is passionate about playing our part in grooming South Africa's future leaders,” states Dipale.