In a significant leap towards addressing South Africa’s digital divide, the Telkom Group, through its charitable arm, the Telkom Foundation, has successfully equipped previously disadvantaged youth with crucial skills necessary for the digital economy.
This initiative is primarily facilitated through impactful programmes such as the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Learnership and Robotics and Coding programmes, aimed at providing the youth with future-ready capabilities.
“We believe that technology is a great equaliser. This is all about giving every South African child a fighting chance to compete, create, and contribute to a better future, ”expressed Judy Vilakazi, Head of the Telkom Foundation. At a special event, the foundation marked the graduation of 362 youths from its accredited ICT Learnership Programme, bringing the total number of certified learners to an impressive 1,077.
The accomplished graduates, drawn from underprivileged communities, are now well-equipped with in-demand technical skills and real-world experience, which are imperative in today’s digital economy. The ICT Learnership, accredited by the Media, Information, and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA), offers specialisation in various fields, including technical support, systems development, and business analysis.
Participants undergo four months of intensive training followed by practical work placements with host employers, where they gain vital experiential learning.
To further enhance the skill set of its graduates, Telkom Foundation integrates value-added modules such as entrepreneurship development, financial literacy, design thinking, awareness of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), personal branding, and essential work readiness skills. This holistic approach ensures that the graduates emerge not only as skilled professionals but also as well-rounded contributors to the workforce.
Moreover, the Telkom Foundation has recently celebrated the completion of its three-year robotics and coding programme, which has targeted 300 learners annually from rural and disadvantaged communities. Students from Qhubulwazi and Methula high schools in Mpumalanga, along with Tiisetsang and Kgolathuto high schools in the Free State, have benefitted from this innovative programme, receiving comprehensive training in coding and robotics.
Certified by both IBM and IC3, the programme has adequately prepared these learners for any career path that necessitates digital skills. “What a touching experience this was watching learners being exposed to the world of technology, a world they otherwise would never have seen. The programme helped them improve academically as well,” Vilakazi shared.
“It has been humbling to watch these students grow, not just academically but personally too,” remarked Mangaliso Mokoape, Founder of Afrika Kids Code. “They enter the programme shy and uncertain, but they leave confident, curious, and innovative.”
