The KwaZulu-Natal market, long seen as relatively stagnant from an information technology (IT) perspective, is poised to enter a new area and set the pace for the rest of the country, according to Andy Dalrymple, regional account manager of software vendor Computer Associates (CA).
According to Dalrymple, a growing number of initiatives to stimulate transformation in the local IT sector have been launched in the city, in association with the region`s tertiary education institutions and local government entities.
"At CA we have identified the SmartXChange technology incubator, under the curatorship of Martin Cele, as a focus point for the fulfilment of our desire to facilitate the entry of a new wave of black IT professionals into the industry, particularly in KZN.
"Dr Terry Davies and her team at the Durban Institute of Technology (DIT) have developed learnership programmes aimed at fast-tracking promising candidates through entry-level IT qualifications and beyond. We, as industry, are then able to make our certification courses available and effectively `close the loop` by deploying learners on actual projects in order for them to round off their training," he says.
"There are more, similar, programmes in the development stage," he says, "and we are looking to partner with local businesses and institutions, many of which are already our customers, to grow these initiatives.
"We are tremendously excited, and feel privileged to be involved in a process so critical to the future of this city, and our country.
"Against the backdrop of the growing commoditisation of enterprise software, we believe that our customers are looking for more from a technology purchase than mere product functionality. They are looking for skills, advice, guidance and flexibility - the essence of a true business partnership. And if we can deliver all that, within a socially responsible framework, then we have achieved our goal."
He says this approach to the market has been welcomed by local businesses.
"In support of this strategy, CA has rolled out its `FlexSelect` licensing model which structures software licensing agreements to match the customer`s business requirements. We can now license our technology any way our customers want us too, be that as a rental, a lease or outright purchase.
"It is a new way of doing business that is more flexible, more realistic and more responsive to changing needs in an emerging marketplace," he adds.
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