InfoVerge Solutions’ commitment to ICT skills development has seen 20 young ICT professionals getting immersive practical training that kick-started successful careers in the sector.
It’s a point of pride for the Microsoft Solutions Partner that it has been empowering and training young IT professionals for over a decade.
CSO France Nkoe has been involved in the company’s skills development programme since its inception. He says: “Over 13 years ago, as we were building the business, we found there was a real lack of certain specialised skills in the market. So we decided to start onboarding students ourselves, to groom them and close the gap.
“We had a vision of creating a solid work experience foundation for ICT students coming straight from university, and then either absorbing them into our company or placing them,” he says. Participants in the programme hone skills such as software engineering, application development and the Microsoft ecosystem.
Over the years, 20 students completed the programme and at least 50% of them have been absorbed by InfoVerge. Nkoe notes that organisations have to design graduate programmes strategically to ensure that both the company and its graduates benefit.
“Our programme really speaks to our business and our vision as a system integrator – it aligns with how we work, and the services we provide to our customers,” he says.
Graduates are paired with mentors in the company’s application or data and analytics departments, where they accompany mentors to see clients and are exposed to day-to-day operations.
Nkoe sees the programme as a success – whether the graduates decide to work with InfoVerge or move on to other companies later. “Thanks to today's social media platforms, we continue to have a good relationship with the students that went through this programme, and we’re pleased to see them really doing well in reputable companies. Some have even taken senior positions in the space of less than five years. In terms of what we have produced and all the students that have gone through our programmes, we are very proud to say that we are associated with them.”
Success stories
InfoVerge’s graduates say they are grateful for the opportunity.
Cloud engineer Itumeleng Tele says: “The InfoVerge Internship Programme was the starting point of my career in IT back in 2019 and gave me valuable hands-on experience that I still benefit from today. It allowed me to learn from experienced professionals, work with different technologies and build the confidence to grow in the industry. The skills and exposure I gained opened doors for me to work with international companies and take on exciting technical challenges. Today, I work as a cloud engineer, and I am grateful for the solid foundation that the internship provided. It was a great learning experience that helped shape the career path I am on today."
Refiloe Ntuli, now a senior associate at a leading accounting network, says: “I joined InfoVerge Solutions as an intern straight out of university, where I gained valuable experience in software development. During my time there, I had the opportunity to work towards Microsoft certifications, which strengthened my technical skills. My role required me to learn and adapt to different development frameworks, including both waterfall and agile methodologies.
“I was also exposed to development technologies such as Angular and Ionic, which expanded my practical knowledge. One of my key responsibilities was redeveloping the company website, an experience that greatly boosted my confidence and sense of ownership. Working closely with my mentor, Skhumbuzo, had a significant impact on my professional growth. He taught me how to build confidence, engage with clients effectively and present and run demos professionally.”
Phethile Mkhatshwa, who is now employed by InfoVerge, says: “The InfoVerge Internship Programme has played an important role in shaping my career path by providing me with practical workplace experience and exposure to real-world business processes. Through the programme, I have developed valuable technical and problem-solving skills while gaining confidence in my abilities. During my internship, I learned quality assurance (QA) testing and power apps development, which have significantly contributed to my professional growth and technical expertise.
“The experience motivated me to pursue continuous learning and professional development, leading me to obtain several Microsoft certifications that enhanced my knowledge and skills in digital technologies and business solutions. Looking back, I can see significant growth in both my technical capabilities and professional development. The internship provided a strong foundation for my career and has positioned me to contribute effectively to my current role while continuing to grow within the technology sector.”
Growing impact
Word has spread of the programme's success, and Nkoe says: “Now our e-mail boxes are inundated with requests coming from tertiary institutions wanting to place their students for practical training.”
InfoVerge aims to evolve and expand the programme, he says. “This year, we will engage with all the managers to look at how we can make it more robust and really institutionalise it, proactively developing skills that will be in demand in the future.”
Nkoe says: “With our Vision 2030, we are looking at positioning ourselves beyond our competitors. For that reason, we want to grow the programme to develop key skills that aren’t readily available in the market – such as AI.”
He notes that InfoVerge’s culture of ongoing skills development isn’t just directed at graduates. “We work in a competitive industry, so we are required to continuously upskill our employees,” he says. “With our HR department, we are ensuring that every employee has the appropriate skillset and continually builds on it. We also have an award programme to motivate them to strive harder.”
InfoVerge aims to help empower partners in satellite offices too. Nkoe says: “At the moment, this skills transfer comes as a result of our teams working with them. However, we are introducing a framework of contracting, which will touch on skills where we will be asking those we contract with or work with: ‘What level of synergy can link with our skills development?’ and ‘How do we exchange that element?' Discussions are now on the table around how best we can be intentional about this, looking at the structure and what results we are looking for.
“Our skills development initiatives are all aligned with our values, which we define as eTOP – embracing diversity, teamwork, open-mindedness and professionalism,” Nkoe concludes.
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