Industry participation key in addressing skills shortages

SAP South Africa will sponsor 20 teams that will be participating in the 2008 First Lego League. The 2008 local initiative launched recently aims to provide and equip learners from different schools and background with mathematics and science skills by instilling a culture of learning by doing.

The First Lego League program is a result of an exciting alliance between First and the Lego Company. FLL is an international program for children ages 9-16, which provides a hands-on, interactive robotics program and a research presentation with a sports-like atmosphere.

'At SAP we believe that FLL provides the industry with a good platform to introduce the younger generation to IT and create awareness and interest that will benefit the industry later on and, therefore, curb the current problem of shortages in skills. We are excited to be part of such an initiative, and we are putting down a corporate challenge to other companies and industry bodies to support the initiative,' says Sunil Geness, Corporate Affairs executive at SAP Africa.

'We also believe it is the duty of the industry players to identify -and even develop - and participate in initiatives such as these to address the skills gaps that exist early on. To this end we are encouraging other corporates to support this fantastic initiative.'

SAP has been sponsoring teams that participate in the competition for the last two years. The SAP NXTreme team won the local championship last year and was sponsored by SAP to attend the World Festival Tournament at Atlanta earlier this year. The team received an honorary Team Spirit award.

FLL is a great way of ensuring that the momentum is built in early childhood. Encouraging participation will ensure a consistent pipeline of new entrants in the market who are willing and able to make a positive contribution to the economy.

Nurturing the youth today will yield benefits in the future.