As part of its strategy to up-skill employees and keep the company abreast with fast-paced technological change, Minolta South Africa has invested more than R1.2 million in technical and software training for its 1 286 staff.
Minolta SA MD, Alan Griffith, says business technology innovations over the past few years have seen a shift from the sale of standalone machines to a focus on multifunctional devices that have to be integrated with IT infrastructures.
"Analogue devices have become redundant. We do not want our employees to become redundant along with the machines. We are committed to keeping them up to date with the ever-changing digital environment," he says.
To date, all sales and technical staff have been put through a training programme called MPlus, which incorporates basic technical training, from understanding digital devices and colour principles, to gleaning insight into server-based fax and printing technology. In addition, employees have received training on the Microsoft suite of products.
Griffith says the entire sales unit has been allocated laptop computers to improve on-the-job efficiency and facilitate immediate access to information.
"Working in the business technology environment requires an understanding of the technology itself and the ability to use it to your advantage," he says.
Minolta SA`s 350 technical engineers have also received training in Computing Technology Industry Association`s (CompTIA`s) internationally recognised A+ and Network+ courses.
"The qualification ensures that all Minolta SA`s engineers have the specialised knowledge needed to integrate multifunctional devices into networked environments," says Griffith.
Minolta South Africa is a registered member of CompTIA, which is a global technology association that aims to advance industry growth through standards, professional competence, education and business solutions.
Most of the training is conducted in two recently constructed training facilities at Minolta SA`s head office in Johannesburg. The facility includes two training rooms; one equipped with eight top-of-the-line Dell workstations, the other built around a "hot desking" environment for 12 laptops. Three full-time trainers handle the software training and with three technical trainers looking after the technical training. The training facilities also include a Thomson Promatic Testing Centre, which allows engineers to sit for exams without leaving the office environment.
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