In an exciting and promising development, Sahara has heeded the call by the South African deputy president to the private sector, to assist in the improvement of skills in the country.
Five job-seekers have been selected to participate in an experiential training and internship programme at Sahara Computers & Electronics, based in Delhi, India. This is a six-month international ICT training and skills development programme for South African ICT, young (age 18-35) women graduates.
This move is part of the government's joint initiative for priority skills acquisition (JIPSA), a working project implemented by the Independent Development Trust (IDT) to prioritise skills for the accelerated and shared growth initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA).
The trainees will be placed directly into the work environment, where they will gain first-hand experience in several levels of operation within a global ICT-focused company.
"We are encouraged by the gesture of Sahara in response to our call. We thank Sahara and want to motivate other private sector companies to take up this challenge. Together, government and the private sector can successfully deal with the deficiency of skills in our land," said Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
The programme is part of an ongoing skills-development and job-creation initiative spearheaded by the office of the deputy president, in partnership with corporate South Africa on the identified priority-scarce skills in the country.
The aim of the initiative is to assist individuals, particularly women, with their entry into what the government has identified as priority areas, such as information and communication technology.
Sabi Mthwecu, Programme Director at the IDT, said the initiative is an effective means by which candidates can improve their skills, learn international best-practice from corporates and gain the value of workplace experience to help them secure employment in South Africa.
"This is the third group to be sent to India to embark on a skills development programme initiative. Sahara has an established good relationship with the office of the deputy president and the company is committed to plough back into the local market," she said.
"AsgiSA has identified six factors that constrain growth in South Africa. One of these factors is the shortage of skilled labour. JIPSA supports AsgiSA's objectives of promoting economic growth and halving poverty and unemployment by 2014."
Sahara continues to support the SA government in its quest to reinforce the country's skills pool. The company is directly involved in initiatives like the Umsobomvu youth fund, and is committed to the further establishment of its corporate social responsibility programme.
While there can be no doubt about the benefit of locally-implemented initiatives and internships, Gary Naidoo, deputy MD of Sahara, says the initiative to visit India, through AsgiSA's JIPSA programme, is a truly unique opportunity.
"The initiative affords graduates a direct opportunity to go abroad and develop key business, life and cultural skills. The idea is really to develop individuals to enter the local job sector as professionals.
"Sahara's role is to help facilitate the programme for five young women who will work at Sahara's India offices to be trained in various fields within the IT industry. Our hope is that we will be able to place these candidates in our South African operations upon their return, to ensure their skills are utilised," says Naidoo.
"The reason for an international internship trip is also to ensure a level of cultural interaction and to learn about international best practices. Our view is that we in South Africa can only benefit from global skills and knowledge," he concludes.
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Established in 1997, Sahara Computers assembles and markets PCs and peripherals through a global distribution network that covers both established and emerging markets.
The company is an official distributor and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for a variety of top international vendors including: AMD, Creative, Delta, Epson, Foxconn, Intel, Lexmark, Maxtor, Microsoft, Samsung, SMC Networks and Symantec.
The core focus of Sahara's operation is the consistent and effective supply of affordable, reliable and accessible technology.
This operation is managed via the company's head office in Midrand, Gauteng - considered a central business hub. The Sahara business network stretches across SA to include Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.
The company has successfully extended its reach to key regions and emerging global markets, including Dubai, China and India. The Sahara brand is also well known across Africa, with established company presence in countries like Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique and Namibia.
Sahara's vision is to become a truly global brand and premier IT supplier throughout Africa.
Sahara is also an accredited member of the Proudly South African campaign as well as the SAVANT global SA brand awareness initiative. Corporate social responsibility is a key priority for the company and it continues to contribute towards projects and programs aimed at individual and community upliftment.
The name Sahara is widely associated with the development of sport, including soccer, cricket, rugby and motorsport. This is considered a significant area of business development by the company. As a result of hard work, commitment and unwavering dedication to its brand, Sahara has formed several strong alliances with key role-players, stakeholders and representative bodies.
Most recently Sahara announced the signing of a groundbreaking sponsorship and technology supply agreement with Mamelodi Sundowns, a top ranking soccer club competing in South Africa's professional soccer league.
The sponsorship is underpinned by the provision of communications infrastructure and mobile technology - including laptops, notebooks and digital lifestyle technology - and signals Sahara's commitment to the club and South African soccer in general.
Effective marketing and generating awareness are significant elements of the company's ongoing marketing campaign.
Under the direction of Gary Naidoo, appointed as Deputy Managing Director of Sahara in December 2005, the company retains a focus on a number of growing market sectors including corporate, government, digital lifestyle and mobile and wireless.
For more information on Sahara Computers, its products and services, visit www.sahara.co.za.
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