Sybrin, Belgium Campus: Harnessing the power of partnerships

Sybrin Systems and The Belgium Campus, an ITversity dedicated to the study of IT, have joined forces to empower the country’s youth and address the skills shortage in the digital and ICT industry. In 2019, Sybrin hired 13 new graduates from The Belgium Campus, with the aim of training, and employing them in various technical roles within the company.

“To impact our innovation, we have gathered the best in the field of ICT and develop our community by providing work to newly qualified graduates. The power of partnerships in driving innovation and enhancing customer experience is undeniable,” said Brendon Paul, Sybrin System’s Chief of Customer Success.

The partnership with Belgium Campus means a flexible and dynamic operating environment that encourages experimentation and empowers teams to be truly visionary in their discipline and drive the kind of innovation that cuts through all industries. Partnerships that result in elevated experiences, through dynamism and innovation, can mean staying ahead of the curve. Further to that, with the help of Sybrin’s Academy, they ensure that continuous learning and development takes place so the teams are always at the top of their game.

Sybrin has employed 48 Belgium Campus graduates over the past four or so years, in various departments across the business, and hosted more than 10 experiential learning students. A former student at The Belgium Campus, Tyrone du Plessis, a Sybrin Application Support Analyst, says: “I feel that Sybrin has created an inviting environment that allows us to collectively collaborate to build towards the future.”

Du Plessis says he heard about Sybrin when the company came to The Belgium Campus on a career day. Another Belgium Campus graduate, Gontse Mokhukhwane, a Sybrin System’s Business Analyst in the Financial Transactions team, says: “If you're looking for growth, mentorship, and fast-tracked career advancement, Sybrin is the best place to be.”

“Belgium Campus ITversity has been working in close collaboration with Sybrin over the last few years. They have been involved from recruiting of students for their experiential learning year, to providing input in keeping our curriculum up to date and relevant in meeting the requirements of the industry. Sybrin has also been providing bursaries to some deserving students. By 2018, there were nearly 60 Belgium Campus alumni and experiential learning students working at Sybrin and this has contributed tremendously to the vital experience these young people are getting in the industry,” says Theodorus Kritzinger, Administrative Dean, The Belgium Campus.

According to The Digital Academy, South Africa is currently facing an estimated ICT skills shortage of between 30 000 and 70 000 professionals, and many ICT professions are on the National Scarce Skills list. The partnership with the campus has ensured the incumbent employees - the students - are industry-ready by providing them with the required skills and business acumen so desperately needed in the industry. From Sybrin’s perspective, the partnership allows the company to contribute to the success of its clients by creating innovative solutions to increase overall productivity, supported by highly skilled teams.