Faritec Student Mentorship Programme an investment in SA`s IT potential

With South Africa facing an ongoing challenge to fostering an environment that continuously encourages and enables the youth to complete their education and aspire to develop themselves further, it is the responsibility of corporations to help develop these learners further as many graduates find it extremely difficult to secure a job straight out of college or university.

Marking the graduation in May of the learners from 2004-2005 who completed the NQF level 4 diploma in programming, Dr Hasmukh Gajjar, executive director of Faritec, says for this reason, the company - in partnership with SETA (Sector Education and Training Authorities) - launched its Skills Development Programme in 2003 to tackle the IT skills shortage and the challenges it presents to IT organisations.

"A core component of the programme is the Student Mentorship Programme where the most promising IT graduates are sourced, trained over a 12-month period and then offered a permanent position at Faritec once the course is completed," says Dr Gajjar.

The objective of the Faritec programme is to further train graduates with an IT degree or diploma, but who are finding difficulties in securing employment in their field of study due to lack of work experience. Learners can send through their CVs to Faritec via e-mail (info@faritec.com), and if they meet the necessary requirements to join the programme, are invited for an interview. To date, 20 learners have graduated from the programme and were subsequently offered permanent positions at Faritec.

The first six months of the programme are dedicated to theoretical training onsite at an external service provider, where each learner is trained on the National certificate in IT: Systems Development NQF Level 5 SAQA ID 24294. SAQA is the South African Qualifications Authority through which all training programmes need to be registered, in order to be recognised in South Africa.

The next six months are spent training internally at Faritec on an internship basis. Here, the learners are exposed to a work environment where they are able to apply the knowledge they acquired during the first six months. The workplace environment presents a challenging opportunity for the learners to prove themselves, and it is here that the learners will experience the ins and outs of an operational IT business environment first-hand.

Faritec is also responsible for furnishing all financial support during the programme, which includes a basic monthly salary for each learner as stipulated by SETA, as well as all training costs incurred over the duration of the programme.

"Through imparting various crucial skills and IT training, Ferrite`s programme will contribute towards reducing unemployment among the youth who have the necessary IT qualifications, but who are unable secure employment due to market saturation and lack of work experience," concludes Dr Gajjar.

Millicent Phure: Through this programme, Faritec has given me the opportunity to develop the necessary skills to become highly employable in the IT sector. It is with thanks that I acknowledge all that Faritec has enabled me to do and become, and the doors it has opened to make my future a success.

Gail Longwise: When the opportunity was presented to me to join the Student Mentorship Programme, I knew I had a future career in IT. It`s one thing studying the material that you take with you to the workplace, but it`s a different story applying it to your job. The programme fills that gap by combining what I learnt with work experience. Many thanks to Faritec for investing in my future.