For an increasing number of companies, internships are becoming the preferred route to providing skills to new entrants of the local IT sector, because of the positive and tangible results delivered, says Oracle SA.
"The growing popularity of internships is demonstrated by the growing number of interns and companies taking part in Oracle`s internship programme," says Dan Ellappa, director for the public sector at Oracle SA.
Ellappa says the eight-month Oracle internship programme for 2006 has attracted a record number of 100 participants since the start of the programme two years ago.
"Internships typically have a low level of drop-outs or failures and provide the market with graduates who have skills that can be used immediately," he says.
However, Ellappa says internships are still not receiving the recognition they should, despite the high success rate and the strong practical workplace component of the training programmes.
Oupa Mopaki, CEO of the IT sector`s training authority ISETT SETA, agrees. He says the shortage of skills, coupled with the fact that most IT graduates have no practical experience, makes internship programmes imperative.
"Internships in partnership with ISETT SETA are a perfect way of providing learners with the mid-level skills required in the IT industry, as well as exposing them to vendor-specific products and training," says Mopaki.
Ellappa adds that internship programmes can also include soft skills such as business presentation skills, as well as provide an understanding of business drivers and concepts like value delivery.
"Internships not only produce well-rounded entrants to the local IT job market, but also provide good employment opportunities for graduates as well as helping to bridge the skills gap in the market," says Ellappa.
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