IT infrastructure and solutions provider, Datacentrix, recently joined forces with Free State-based SMME, Africa Business Solutions (ABS), to fulfil a server roll-out to the Department of Education.
The project forms part of a larger server contract with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), which will help drive business into the regions using black-empowered SMME companies.
The Department of Education project involved the supply of 35 HP servers to schools and district offices across the Free State, where the department has launched e-learning-based computer schools for students and teachers.
According to Themba Gezane, account manager at Datacentrix, ABS has actively contributed to the project. "Not only has ABS played a key account management role in the supply of the servers, the company is also providing training to users. This initiative is part of the sector education training authority for the local ICT sector, Information Services, Electronics and Telecommunications Technologies Sector Education Training Authority`s (ISETT SETA) drive for skills development."
Gezane believes the project highlights the extent of work still to be done locally in terms of skills development for smaller businesses as well as the importance of the accreditation of regional SMME partners through vendors such as HP and IBM.
"Datacentrix has pledged its commitment to assist smaller businesses like ABS wherever it can. In this case, as HP`s largest value partner with a direct contract with the company across its entire range of hardware products, we have a wealth of information and expertise to pass on to ABS," he says.
According to Bruce Middleton, MD of ABS, the skills transfer between Datacentrix and ABS is being done in stages whereby ABS technicians will assist in Datacentrix installations within the Free-State province.
"The project with the Department of Education marks one of the most significant milestones in ABS`s partnership with Datacentrix," he says.
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