Citrix launches academy programme to address skills shortage in SA IT industry

To fill the glaring gaps of specialised skills in South Africa's IT industry, Citrix Systems Southern Africa has announced the launch of the Citrix Academy programme.

The eight-month programme, in conjunction with Microsoft and Bytes People Solutions, will provide successful candidates with a three-month training programme on Microsoft and Citrix technology, as well as a five-month practical internship with a Citrix partner.

The programme is based on a similar Microsoft training programme facilitated by Bytes People Solutions, which has seen a 98% pass success rate over the past two years.

The course content includes Microsoft Vista, Windows 2003, with a focus on AD, Citrix Presentation Server 4.5, Password Manager and Access Gateway, which equips the candidate with a well-rounded set of skills, allowing them to join the industry as a junior consultant. The candidates are required to complete the relevant Citrix and Microsoft exams to successfully complete this course.

Potential graduates with a BComm, BSc Computer Science or a BTech qualification can apply to Bytes People Solutions to participate in this programme. These candidates are subsequently screened and then interviewed by a member of the Citrix partner base, who will provide the internship, before being accepted into the programme. Competition is high.

"To ensure the success of this programme, we do not train a group of more than 15 candidates at a given time. From a practical perspective, this allows students adequate access to the instructor," says Pieter Nel, unit manager: IT learning solutions, from Bytes People Solutions. "In addition, for a quality outcome, senior instructors will provide both practical and theoretical training."

The training costs in excess of R30 000 are covered by Microsoft and Citrix Systems. In addition, the partner will provide the candidate with a monthly stipend. While the candidate is working with the partner, knowledge is transferred from their senior technical specialists to the candidate, to facilitate the closing of this gap.

The partner may choose to employ the candidate as a junior consultant once they have completed their training, or the candidate can choose a position elsewhere. In similar programmes facilitated by Bytes, a high percentage of candidates have been employed by the partner before they have even completed the programme.

"We believe that by participating in this academy programme, with the buy-in from our partner base, we will be able to dramatically increase the number of Citrix qualified consultants with practical experience," says Lisa Kelynack, partner account manager at Citrix Systems Southern Africa.