Keeping revenue local empowers companies investing in the future of South Africa to mature their products, drive innovation and ultimately create employment opportunities.
South Africa is not known for its strong innovative technological abilities, and as a result, many products and services in the local IT sector are based on imported products. From a macro-economic perspective, international products create employment, but it also means between 60%-85% of the product revenue leaves our shores. That's potential revenue that could stay in the country if local companies support local innovation initiatives.
"Internships and innovations are catalysts for job creation. Businesses looking for ways to create new jobs and drive economic growth are finding innovation to be a core element," says Keith Mclachlan, Chief Executive Officer at Sintrex.
In any country, employment levels are directly linked to competitiveness, which in turn creates the wealth needed to fund more jobs. "Competitiveness is in turn linked to innovation, which enables us to keep up with advances in global markets. Local organisations have a massive responsibility to do more, to innovate more - not only for our country, but for our economy. Sintrex is committed to boosting the local economic development by nurturing ICT talent and skills.
"Sintrex has a reputation for world-class services and solutions, consistently delivered through a motivated, credible and attentive team," he says. "Our internship programme is an extension of this. We believe that local businesses can drive job creation through internships and local innovation. Training people, from school leavers through to graduates, through internship programmes, are the solution to many of South Africa's unemployment woes."
He says the Sintrex internship programme aims to address one of the main concerns for local youth all over South Africa - unemployment and quality job creation. "Sintrex's internship programme is working to help bridge the gap and to help individuals to qualify for skilled jobs. A total of 33 interns have been engaged by Sintrex, of which 15 have been employed permanently, and the current staff complement consists of 13% interns and learners." https://www.sintrex.com/all-about-sintrex-our-internship-programme/
If all local government and businesses were to follow suit, it would result in employment for tens of thousands of South African youth, he states. "Sintrex believes it is organisations like us that need to be at the forefront of developing our young people and creating jobs. We can only encourage other businesses to do the same. Tomorrow's jobs are dependent on our ability to build the right conditions for innovation today, irrespective of the strengths or weaknesses of the current economic cycle.
"Another way for local companies to drive innovation and employment is to support local. Push the revenue to the local companies who are willing to commit to the country and to long-term solutions, keep innovating and keep growing employment opportunities for our citizens," says Mclachlan. "We are fortunate to have the support of many organisations in South Africa, already with exciting considerations to explore the export market, which not only will grow local employment, but bring international revenue into SA.
"We've received recognition from the IDC and DTI for our efforts and believe that local is lekker, very lekker. Everyone knows it, now instead of paying lip service, they just need to support it!"
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