As part of its social responsibility, Sybase SA has entered into a partnership with Sasuka Technologies, a black empowerment company that provides IT training for previously disadvantaged people.
Sasuka was founded in 1998, when it began offering training in SAS data warehousing and decision support software, and Microsoft products. Training is provided in the evenings and at weekends at no charge to the students, and is offered to students with some IT background, as well as to those with no previous IT experience. Those who qualify as programmers are either employed as consultants by Sasuka or they are placed in positions with client companies for a fee that pays for part of the costs for the course.
Rezien Benefeldt, a director of Sasuka, says the company's focus is on knowledge transfer and the empowerment of individuals who would otherwise have no access to expensive IT training. "We expect to start seeing the results of our efforts in five year's time," he says. "Our goal is to populate the IT industry with black people at a middle management level where, at present, they are hugely underrepresented."
In terms of the partnership with Sybase, Sasuka trainers and students will receive training at Sybase's premises, and Sybase will supply free software for use at Sasuka's own training facility in Auckland Park. Training will be provided in object-oriented programming or in database administration. Sybase has also made a commitment to provide employment for Sasuka students where possible.
Tony Nutter, managing director of Sybase, notes that training programmes catering for previously disadvantaged individuals are often prone to failure as a result of aptitude tests that are offered in English - a fourth language for most students. This is frequently compounded by training systems that do not take cultural communication differences into account.
"Sasuka has developed a working model that is specifically designed to provide programming training for non-English speakers," says Nutter. "The company's track record so far, in terms of the number of students who qualify and the exceptionally low drop-out rate, prove that it is harnessing the learning potential of its students."
Sasuka's courses are advertised by word of mouth and, as most students are also breadwinners, all training is offered on a part-time basis. The courses are funded entirely by Sasuka and, in some cases, students are also provided with funding for transport. Benefeldt notes that as part of the knowledge transfer process, classes are structured to pair off students who have no IT experience with those who do.
The selection process is tough, as is the course structure. Around 40 candidates per module are provisionally accepted. They are then put through what Benefeldt refers to as an "attitude" test, and a rigorous preliminary programme. Only those students who demonstrate discipline, competence and the ability to co-operate are allowed to complete their courses.
According to Benefeldt, the cost of IT training and the industry's attitude to black programmers are major barriers for previously disadvantaged people seeking to enter this field. "The IT sector has a major role to play in investing in projects that accelerate skills development at a time when there is a worldwide shortage of IT-related skills," he adds. "That shortage is only exacerbated locally by the number of skilled programmers leaving the country."
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