Microsoft celebrates its graduates
JOBURG – Microsoft South Africa celebrated their graduates from the S2B programme
Microsoft championed the youth and all the skills and talents they have to offer in the growing world of South African technology by celebrating the
graduating class of the Student2Business (S2B) programme at the tech-giants’ Bryanston offices.
Established in 2008, the programme brings recent university graduates from various fields under the Microsoft wing by giving them invaluable access to the company’s partner network, made up of 186 companies, through internships in the public and private sector.
Managing director of Microsoft South Africa Zoaib Hoosen said, “The major success factor of this internship programme lies in the fact that 70 percent of the graduating students have gone on to find formal employment in the ICT sector.
“South Africa’s ICT sector is a key area in which the youth can make a real difference to the country’s future success by addressing current economic challenges and employment problems head-on.”
The graduation ceremony was led by DJ Mo Flava who brought his own unique experiences in the field of media, and shared his journey up the career ladder, from a Radio DJ to a big name in the South African media industry.
With regard to the advantages its employers gain from the programme, Natalie Pillai, HR consultant in the risk intelligence and business intelligence division at Discovery Health said, “It can sometimes be difficult to find the graduates who possess the right set of skills, technological literacy, and attitude to fit in with our company. Thanks to the S2B internship programme, we get to work with students for a year to mould them and provide them with on-the-job skills they require to become invaluable future Discovery employees.”
Nomcebo Cele, a recent S2B graduate said, “The Student to Business programme also provides support and resources to help graduates get through their internship with ease, which is important for a first jobber.
“It’s tough out there, but there are lots of opportunities. You need to look for them and do the best you can.”
