Business Connexion (BCX) and the Information Services, Electronics and Telecommunications Technologies Sector Education Training Authority (Isett Seta), together with the Durban Institute of Technology (DIT), all of South Africa, last week announced a partnership that will see the implementation of a learnership program to address the country"s IT skills shortage.

The 12-month program, certified by the National Qualification Authority (NQA), will see 120 learners from KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng receive training in systems development, desktop support and systems support engineering. These areas were identified by BCX as skills gaps within its organization.

Says BCX deputy CEO, Benjamin Mophatlane: "We recognized that merely being black-empowered would not differentiate us from our competition. A decision was therefore taken to tackle the issue of empowerment with passion and creativity. By doing this we could create a platform for business growth, which would enhance stakeholder value. We also recognized that worthwhile empowerment initiatives would help BCX attract and retain quality employees from varied cultural backgrounds."

Learners are not guaranteed a position at BCX on completion of their training, but will be equipped with the necessary skills, and, most importantly, hands-on training, to more successfully apply for a job in the market.

A quarter of the course is dedicated to practical experience, with only three months spent on theoretical training. Each learner also has a dedicated mentor to assist them.