One of the ironies of today`s skills shortage in SA is that newly qualified students need to have some sort of experience to land a job. But if a course doesn`t include practical, on-the-job training, this can turn out to be a conundrum that many students can`t solve.
Xerox South Africa has stepped into the fray by entering into a partnership with training institution Computer Training Institute (CTI) to use its students to educate Xerox customers on the benefits and features of the new Xerox Document Centres, networked, multi-functional digital copiers.
Xerox SA`s sales director, Olivier Ferraton, explains that selected students attend a week-long training course at Xerox, during which they are introduced to the company and given an overview of the digital product range and its software, Centreware.
"They also learn about objective setting, time management, other administrative duties and office etiquette," he says. "This kind of training will stand them in good stead for other jobs too."
After the week`s study, the students are ready to approach Xerox SA`s clients, spending up to half a day alongside each Document Centre showing users additional features and benefits of the equipment.
"During this time, they talk to the users, demonstrating additional features and capabilities that clients may not know about and also educating them about the efficient ways of utilising digital technology," Ferraton explains.
The students also set up the Document Centre as the default printer in the immediate environment.
"The programme gives students a platform on which to learn about a business environment," he adds, "as well as increasing our visibility with our customers, ensuring better customer satisfaction and better customer knowledge about the new `it` kind of office equipment.
"And, of course, we then have a pool of potential candidates for employment."
CTI will deliver 2 000 newly qualified junior programmers and technicians into the IT industry over the next 12 months.
"Despite the shortage of IT professionals in the market, companies are still wary of giving these newly qualified graduates an opportunity to prove their skills, even though the Teckteck test rates these individuals as having the equivalent of between two and four years` commercial working experience," explains Michiel Barnard, CEO of CTI.
"We applaud Xerox SA for its confidence in giving the CTI graduates an opportunity to gain practical experience in the work environment and would like to encourage all other big IT companies to follow the example set by Xerox. How else are we going to solve the skills shortage problem in our country if we do not give the newcomers a foot in the door?" says Barnard.
The nationwide programme has already been instituted at some of Xerox SA`s corporate clients like Nedcor, and will soon begin at Sappi and Absa.
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