A total of 21 previously disadvantaged South African students have completed the Oracle Graduate Leadership Programme.
Now in its fifth year, the programme focuses on equipping PDI students with specialised IT and leadership skills that prepare them for a career in the IT industry.
“Every year our programme takes in previously disadvantaged graduates to address the critical skills shortage in our industry,” said Niral Patel, Managing Director and Technology Leader for Oracle South Africa.
“Any drive towards closing the skills gap and addressing unemployment should be tied to the Fourth Industrial Revolution or we risk our country becoming uncompetitive and irrelevant both locally and globally. By developing the hard and soft skills needed to succeed in the digital world, we are creating a future skills pipeline for Oracle and the wider ICT community.”
The programme is spread over one year and offers a blended learning approach, combining classroom training with e-learning and structured on-the-job training.
“Before we start training these youngsters, we ask our partners and customers what they
need and then build a programme that provides the right skills, relevant for the market,” added Patel.
“This actively and strategically closes the skills gap all the while providing much needed employment.”
Tshegofatso Biloane, one of this year’s graduates, found employment as a software developer at a consulting services company.
“The programme built the right foundation I needed for my career moving forward,” she said.
“It taught me about the industry and how to work with people from different walks of life. I’ll always remember my time spent at the programme.”
