eGovernment awards 30 certificates to students

MEC for eGovernment and Finance Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko recently handed over certificates of completion of the CT Skills Development Programme to 30 students during a ceremony hosted at Christ the King Church in Mondeor.

“One of the main reasons for the establishment of this programme is the rapid development of modern ICT over the past few years with many organisations opting for the use of new ICT-based applications to improve their services,” said Nkomo-Ralehoko.

She said it is for this reason they are in partnership with institutions of higher learning and ICT partners to upskill young people across the province by equipping them with skills that cater to new opportunities.

“We believe this will assist us in creating a more inclusive digital economy, which will contribute to increased job creation,” said Nkomo-Ralehoko.

This is their first programme in which they offered digital skills to the youth and SMMEs with the latest Microsoft technology, fully equipped with computers and resources.

“The centre targets mostly young people and SMMEs to equip them with various digital skills while also mitigating the shortage of skills in the ICT sector.

“The ICT programme is designed to introduce young people to the ICT sector, to provide them with soft skills training so they may be able to compete for job opportunities in the marketplace,” said Nkomo-Ramahoko.

The programme covered various skills, such as 5G knowledge, cloud service development and big data.

Furthermore, it provides learners with an introduction to artificial intelligence and the functioning of advanced robotics to ensure they are empowered with the necessary skills to help them develop better in the ever-changing Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“We believe this will assist us in creating a more inclusive digital economy, which will contribute to increased job creation,” she said.

In the 2021 financial year, about 15 000 young people have been trained so far through physical and online training such as webinars.

Ayanda Mkhwanazi from Gain Learning, an implementing partner, assured the learners that there will be further training conducted to open doors for more opportunities.

“We will be implementing further training for our students where they will receive accreditation with the different sector education and training authorities, which will enable us to place the students in different corporates,” said Mkhwanazi.

One of the students, Claudia Rezant, from the Mondeor group said she was grateful for the opportunity, stating she was empowered and motivated to do more.

“I learned a variety of skills, including conflict management and communications skills I feel I can use in any career I choose to venture into going forward. I am looking forward to more training opportunities that will help me and my peers advance ourselves whether in our careers or our business ventures,” she said.

The training covered various ICT skills, such as project management, conflict management and effective communication skills. The programme is ongoing, targeting unemployed youth, women and people with disabilities.

The students can use the certificates to further their education in other ICT-related fields, apply for jobs that require at least a basic set of digital skills or to improve on their existing or new businesses.