by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – NASHUA Kopano and the Gauteng City-Region Academy (GCRA) are expanding their partnership to include on-the-job information and communications (ICT) skills.
Previously, the three-year partnership only provided bursaries.
Enterprise workspace solutions provider, Nashua Kopano, helped to fund tertiary educational opportunities for a number of students. It has extended the partnership to 2024.
GCRA is a Gauteng government agency that aims to build a pool of skilled, capable talent for the Gauteng region via interventions such as bursaries, internships, learnerships and skills programmes.
Nashua Kopano started its partnership with GCRA in 2019, committing to providing R 500 000 a year to fund ICT-related studies of top-performing, black, female learners from non-fee paying schools.
Thabiso Matau aspires to become a software engineer.
“Getting an internship in a tech company will equip me with the experience I need to break into the industry and help me grow as a professional,” he said.
His application has been accepted.
Chris Kruger, Managing Director of Nashua, said funding to pursue studies and entry-level experience remain significant barriers to entry to the workplace for many young people in Gauteng.
“Through this partnership, we aim to not only help talented youths from underprivileged backgrounds to pay for their studies, but also to equip them with workplace experience that helps them to kickstart their careers,” he said.
The Gauteng Provincial Government has made youth development, skills creation and catalysing socioeconomic opportunities as priorities.
“We are pleased to work closely with Nashua Kopano on an initiative that is helping to enhance our province’s competitiveness and improve people’s lives by building skills, creating employment opportunities in the fast-growing ICT sector,” said Percy Moleke, Chief Executive Officer of GCRA.
– CAJ News