Samsung SA opened an Electronics Engineer Academy yesterday, which strives to stimulate the youth's interest in electronics and computer studies.
This will equip underprivileged scholars attending government technical high schools with skills to make them competitive in the job market, the company says.“Upon graduating these students will be able to fix devices like cellphones, televisions, and other electronic equipment.”
The academy's curriculum will be 80% practical and 20% theory. Samsung also built an Electronics Engineering Lab, which will be used for all the practical work.
The electronics company says the overall emphasis for this academy is hands-on experience for the workplace. “Furthermore, Samsung is focused on entering graduates of this class into a service centre programme.”
According to Samsung Africa's president, KK Park, education is key to create a promising future and alleviate poverty. “Not just any education though... education that is well-executed and aligned to skills development, monetary investment and strong access to human resources and technology.”
The academy, located in Boksburg, will benefit the technical high schools in the Ekurhuleni municipal area. It aims to produce 10 000 electronic engineers by 2015 across Africa.
The initiative strives to transform communities through education and skills development and in return, open up skilled, well-paying job opportunities for individuals, he points out.
Samsung has already signed participation agreements with four tech high schools in Katlehong and Vosloorus, and will accommodate more schools in the coming years.
“Because the programme provides students with the necessary engineering acumen, Samsung will help give the graduates a head start in the workplace, making them attractive recruits for Samsung, [its] partners and other industry players,” Park states.
Statistics show that out of the 205 364 candidates in SA who wrote physical science as a matric subject in 2010, only 47.8% achieved a mark of 30% and above.
While this is an improvement compared to 2009, this rate has dropped overall - resulting in the under-development of the necessary science skills critical to SA's long-term economic growth.
Ntutule Tshenye, CSR lead at Samsung Africa, says it is the company's responsibility to implement effective and sustainable initiatives that will deliver measurable improvements to the quality of life for both individuals and the community.
“We have set a goal accordingly: to positively impact five million lives by 2015.”
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