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R250m boost for Cape Town tech skills project
1 May 2018
CAPE TOWN TECH SKILLS PROJECT GETS R250M BOOST
The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi) has announced a significant scale up of its CapaCiTi technology skills and job readiness programmes, with R250m unlocked to train and place young South Africans across the country.
Over the next three years, CapaCiTi will equip in excess of 3 000 talented young individuals with industry-demanded technology and business skills – placing them in jobs in South Africa’s leading companies.
Says Ian Merrington, CEO of CiTi: ‘This incredibly impactful expansion has been enabled through the generous support from South African corporate businesses, in particular R100m from BCX, and also R75m from the National Treasury Jobs Fund.
‘CapaCiTi’s success lies in the agility of the programme curricula in response to the South African business sector’s skills needs; and importantly, the high emphasis on soft skills training and real-workplace experience, alongside the core technical training. A smart pairing of national and corporate funding presents South African companies with the opportunity to leverage 40% more value for their training expenditure, and access to a talent pipeline that directly meets their needs. And an innovative shift in the CapaCiTi model towards student loan and work-back agreements now guarantees the sustainability and scalability of the project, and candidate accountability. At CiTi, we view these as the cornerstones of real impact.’
Through CapaCiTi programmes, unemployed previously disadvantaged young individuals (40% female) are equipped with a relevant and work-ready skill set which they go on to apply in their internship and permanent placement in one of CapaCiTi’s partners. Over the past seven years, CiTi achieved a 97% placement rate in 130 South African companies to date, allowing them to significantly grow, diversify and retain their young tech talent.
Visit Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative for more information.
