Johannesburg, 02 Feb 2007
Vodacom today introduced the next 10 females that have embarked on their exciting three-year journey through the Graduate Programme for Females in Technology (GPFT).
GPFT is a graduate development programme inspired by the achievements of great women in the business and telecommunications industry.
"Today the telecommunications arena requires fresh minds, new skills, talent and passion to achieve. As roles are constantly emerging and rapidly evolving, so too are the needs of the industry," says Lungi Ndlovu, Vodacom's Chief Human Resources Officer.
"There is a limited pool of females in ICT positions, as well as students who've completed their studies in science, mathematics and engineering. These factors all contribute to a shortage of women in ICT," Ndlovu continues.
"To increase the availability of women entering the ICT sector, Vodacom launched the GPFT in 2006, providing a development opportunity for female graduates in the fields of technology, IT and engineering to join our exciting and ever-growing business. Vodacom is investing more than R8 million in the 2007 graduates over their programme period of three years," says Ndlovu.
This year, the 10 new female graduates who have all completed either a BSc or a BCom degree in mathematics, science, engineering or IT, will have the opportunity to work and obtain hands-on experience and at the same time, develop the necessary technical, engineering and business skills for their future career in the telecommunications industry.
The GPFT programme consists of a fixed-term one-year contract and at the end of year one, candidates are assessed for permanent employment for the remaining two years of the programme. Successful candidates thus get an opportunity to find out more about Vodacom and the technical environment in which the business operates. Upon completion of the programme, the candidates will be awarded certificates of competence.
The Vodacom GPFT will contribute to Vodacom meeting the requirements of the ICT charter and Employment Equity Act by increasing the number of females in core areas of business. Vodacom believes the GPFT will enhance the progress of women entering into the technological arena in the future.
"The structure of the programme is based on academic and technical competencies, as well as personal and interpersonal skills of individual candidates. By experiencing life inside Vodacom, the candidates' acquisition of technical skills and expertise will improve the competitive-edge in the South African telecommunications industry," concludes Ndlovu.
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