by MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – A LEADER in the analytics industry has reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to investing in South Africa’s young talent.
SAS said this is in recognition of the instrumental role that the youth play in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR).
The company therefore pledged to continue to provide learnership, internship and mentorship programmes that foster an environment conducive to growth, creativity and inclusivity.
Adesh Nathalal, Education Manager at SAS in South Africa, underscored the value of such programmes.
“SAS’s aim is to empower the country’s youth by equipping them with the necessary mindset and skills to navigate and succeed in the digital era.”
“Our internship programme provides a rich blend of hands-on experience coupled with intensive training in analytics, giving the interns an invaluable first-hand exposure to the industry,” added Nathalal.
In addition to fostering gender equality, SAS pledged it is also committed to enabling a broad spectrum of learners.
This is demonstrated through its significant investment in supporting a cohort of 12 disabled learners during the 2022/23 period.
Collaborating with Sparrow FET, these learners are in the process of completing an IT End User Computing NQF3 course over a period of 12 months.
This comprises four African males, three African females, an Indian female, one Indian male, a Coloured female and two Coloured males.
“SAS’s partnership with Sparrow FET is a testament to our dedication to inclusivity and diversity within the technology space,” said Nathalal.
“We believe in the potential within every individual, and we are proud to sponsor this diverse group of learners.”
Some collaborative initiatives include SAS’s partnership with the Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics at North-West University, focused on specialist risk and data science skills development.
Online events hosted in collaboration with University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN) and the University of the Western Cape aimed at Grade 11s to introduce these learners to analytics and data science as possible career opportunities within the field.
Last year UKZN in collaboration with SAS launched the Teachers4DataAnalytics program, a workshop programme that aims to reach hundreds of teachers and provide them with the knowledge and tools to inspire their students to pursue careers in data analytics.
SAS is also a sponsor of Tangible Africa – a partnership between Nelson Mandela University and Leva Foundation.
“By bridging the gap between academia and industry, SAS continues to foster a nurturing ecosystem that encourages young talent to explore and excel in the exciting world of data science,” said Andre Zitzke, Manager: Global Academic Programmes in Africa for SAS.
– CAJ News