WIOCC-MDCS Skills Academy partnership delivers ICT skills to underprivileged learners in South Africa

WIOCC Group, Africa’s converged open-access digital infrastructure leader, is helping underprivileged learners – particularly unemployed females and disabled learners – in deprived parts of South Africa, gain valuable ICT skills that will help boost their employability through a partnership with MDCS Skills Academy.

By establishing a mobile ICT lab equipped with 20 laptops, this crucial partnership is targeted to reach those in most need – particularly in rural primary and secondary schools. It also enables the ICT resources and equipment to be utilised by more than one school, so more learners in need can gain these basic skills, and will not be affected by the same crime issues which would be experienced by ICT labs permanently situated in the community.

According to James Wekesa, Group Chief Commercial Officer at WIOCC Group: “Through the support of our South Africa office to MDCS Skills Academy, we are giving underprivileged learners in the Potchefstroom area of North West Province(1) and in Rietfontein, Gauteng, valuable access to ICT facilities and training. This builds their ICT skills, helps prepare them for working in the ICT sector, and also provides access to computers for underprivileged learners who currently lack this essential resource.”

Winnie Karisa, HR Director at WIOCC Group, added: “The goal is for learners to improve their results in school through the use of ICT resources. Ultimately, both their improved marks and increased computer skills will afford these learners access to better job opportunities.”

Two-year bursary programme

There is also an accredited, two-year bursary programme which primarily focuses upon ICT and management and has already demonstrated positive results.

Karisa explains: “Three-quarters of those who have attended the programme have achieved success in some form, either through obtaining full-time employment, being made facilitators, being sponsored for further training, or have received additional study opportunities.”

“Our learnership and bursary programmes are aligned to the critical and scarce skills required by government, and we are particularly focused upon helping the disadvantaged and disabled communities in the economically challenged regions of these provinces.”

(1) The North West Province’s limited-service community faces serious challenges, with less than 18% of people older than 15 years of age having obtained a matric qualification and only 4% possessing some form of tertiary education.