Business Connexion (BCX) believes with higher education and the various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) now falling under the same ministry, the company will be able to reach its goal of greater collaboration between tertiary education and industry.
The company says it has been running a graduate internship programme for several years in close cooperation with Information Systems, Electronics and Telecommunications Technologies (ISETT) SETA, aimed at bridging the gap between tertiary education and practical experience - and addressing the country-wide shortage of ICT skills.
Carva Pop, group HR manager of training and development at BCX, says: “The goal is to bridge the gap between higher education and industry. The major, positive change that has recently happened is that higher education and the various SETAs now fall under the same ministry. This facilitates the creation of a forum where there can be consultation between higher education and industry.”
According to Oupa Mopaki, CEO of ISETT SETA, things have improved recently with restructuring that ensures better administration and management of funds. “Government and ourselves are keenly aware of the need for ICT skills and the contribution this makes to the national economy,” Mopaki says.
“Despite our ongoing successes in this area, we still face challenges such as establishing locally-based manufacturing facilities and encouraging companies to join the internship programme.
“Only about one-third of the major companies in ICT are active with such programmes. The main need is for private sector businesses to provide the type of training in a hands-on environment that universities can only partially offer,” Mopaki adds.
“Business Connexion has worked on building relationships with universities across the country to make sure that we establish communication and collaboration,” says Pop.
“The key point is that we are not just improving individual skills. Our goal is to have an impact on people, their communities and the national economy through responsible corporate citizenship.
“We have ourselves learnt a lot in four years. It's not enough just to put a training programme in place. If it is to be sustainable and effective, there is a lot of planning needed to make it work,” Pop concludes.
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