Change the World Trust, a Midrand-based non-profit ICT training organisation, has reached out to other provinces to assist with their ICT needs.
The organisation, which has partnered with the Microsoft Virtual Academy and Cisco Networking Academy, aims to introduce youth to computer science education, a science that is rapidly becoming essential for everyone in this generation.
Representatives of the organisation visited o to introduce the Hour of Code programme to schools in the province. Hour of Code is dedicated to teaching individuals from around the world how to code, thus increasing technological access.
David Silva, project manager of the programme, said the ICT skills training event left a growing tidal wave of empowerment by equipping 22 schools with DVDs and a tutorial video that helps explain the programme.
Silva said they have a goal of introducing 10 000 youths in the country to computer science before the end of the year.
One of the attendees, Phuthego Ledwaba, a school principal said, “Limpopo is desperately in need of… expertise and programmes like this one. This form of education is essential for today’s youth, and I will even consider quitting my job to take this programme to every school in Limpopo myself.”
Silva added, “The rapid evolution of the digital era has a profound impact on business and society in Africa. The IT skills shortage, however, hampers the economic growth and social transformation that could be generated.”
He said South Africa currently had an estimated 200 000 vacancies in the ICT sector while 3.4 million youth between 18 and 29 were unemployed. “We aim to address this skills shortage and tap into this pool of untapped talent to source and train the country’s future tech leaders,” he said.
To date, Silva said 60 to 70 percent of all their course participants were employed and economically active.
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