The I-CAN Centre, located in Elsies River, is ending 2022 in style! It celebrates the achievement of seven years of existence within an impact of creating more than 13 000 training opportunities for all citizens. The purpose of this impact was to narrow the digital divide, create a knowledge society and a skilled workforce for the digital economy within the Cape Flats region, and address the inequality existing in education, skills training and development.
The I-CAN Centre is an initiative of the Western Cape government, managed by the non-profit organisation, Genesis Community IT Initiative or Genesis CITI for short. This public-private relationship has yielded great results, as youth benefited from a range of digital skills training empowerment programmes to improve their socio-economic status. It also serves as a public access facility and community tech hub in Elsies River that addresses community, skills and economic challenges collectively. The tech facility provides broadband technology access to all citizens and the empowerment of digital skills to everyone. Genesis CITI has championed these training opportunities, as the appointed Managing Operator of the I-CAN Centre since 2015.
The achievement and success are also attributed to the high-speed wireless technology infrastructure set-up at the centre by Sonic Herotel in 2015. In 2020, Think WIFI came on board to provide further free WiFi access to citizens. In addition to the WiFi access, Smart Cape computer devices from the City of Cape Town were installed to further assist the community with device access. A total of 29.8 terabytes was utilised to provide access to technology and the empowerment of digital skills.
Within the Cape Flats region, especially Elsies River, many youth fall victim to substance abuse and become hopeless due to a lack of employment opportunities. We know that beyond the employment situation in South Africa, we face a huge skills crisis that contributes towards the employment issue. Clearly the digital economy has dawned on us, as we witness a greater skills gap, especially in our marginalised communities. Most digital skills training opportunities offered ensured that youth undertake global exams in Microsoft, Adobe, CertNexus (ITS) and Certiport. These credentials validate and recognise youth to be employed within the IT sector. The partnership with Masterskill and Certiport – A Pearson Vue Business, has advanced Genesis CITI to conduct these global exams.
There remains a significant digital skills gap in SA, as organisations battle to fill tens of thousands of vacancies in the ICT sector, according to the 2021 ICT Skills Survey. These global vendor certifications offered by Genesis CITI have served as a solution in narrowing the digital skills gap in South Africa.
Apart from assisting the unemployed youth to obtain digital skills, Genesis CITI widened its focus to implement digital skills in high schools. With a partnership from Google, Media Monitoring Africa and Dept of Digital Communications, more than 2 000 high school learners obtained coding and cyber safety certifications in 2019. Added to this impact, Grade 12 Computer Application Technology students obtained Microsoft Certifications and Grade 11 Accounting students obtained recognised Quickbooks Training. These projects have received endorsement from the Western Cape Education Department.
Llewellyn Scholtz, Executive Director of Genesis CITI, and his dynamic team have a heartbeat for the community, resulting in empowering youth with technology from marginalised communities. The Cape Flats area has been known for gangsterism, domestic and substance abuse, while the I-CAN Centre serves as a beacon of hope against these social ills. Lastly, we have addressed the employment gap through digital skills programmes, resulting in youth feeling hopeful and envisioning a bright future for themselves! Today, Genesis CITI celebrates these results as a huge milestone! The success of the I-CAN Centre is attributed to its strategic partners and the capacity of Genesis CITI.
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