MTN’s Digital Skills for Digital Jobs programme will upskill another 900 youth and women across nine provinces in SA with digital and entrepreneurship training over the next year.
According to statement highlighting the telecoms operator’s efforts in women empowerment, MTN has reinforced its commitment to invest in resources to develop female talent, with an emphasis on ICT skills development.
In light of Women’s Month, the company says it is paving a way to create opportunities for girls and women in communities around SA, by removing barriers hindering women from entering the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
This year, the Digital Skills for Digital Jobs initiative received over 7 000 applications, with women making up more than 60% of the total.
Launched last year, it addresses the issue of youth unemployment in SA by combining digital qualifications with life and entrepreneurship skills.
The courses are accredited by the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority, and covers various skills taught in one-week training blocks.
Last June, 900 participants were selected to undergo the 12-month course, run across all nine provinces. Primary beneficiaries were ICT sector job-seekers, disenfranchised black women, youth and people with disabilities.
“As we mark three decades of democracy in South Africa, under the theme ‘women as pioneers of change and economic growth’, it's essential to reflect on the incredible progress made in advancing women's rights and their significant contributions to the nation's development,” says Dineo Molefe, CFO of MTN SA.
“MTN is also committed to creating opportunities for girls and women in the communities we serve. Removing barriers hindering women from entering STEM fields is crucial to closing SA’s ICT skills gap and reducing high unemployment rates.”
MTN SA has 49% female representation within the business, with women making up 56% of finance department functions across various roles, Molefe adds.
According to MTN, the Digital Skills for Digital Jobs programme was inspired by the belief that effective STEM training should be relevant and meet the evolving demands of the ICT sector.
Earlier this year, the MTN SA Foundation partnered with the Department of Basic Education to launch the national coding and robotics pilot programme by unveiling a Coding and Robotics Centre at Letsibogo Girls High School in Soweto – ensuring more girls have the skills they need to participate in the digital economy.
“At MTN SA, where we are also celebrating our 30th anniversary, we have answered this call not only through championing the development of women’s careers, but also through female-focused initiatives, such as the MTN Women in Digital Business Challenge,” adds Molefe.
Each year, the MTN SA Foundation invests R1 million in this accelerator to enable innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation for women in the digital economy.
The challenge offers each successful candidate R100 000 to support their working capital and asset needs, as well as business development, mentorship and access to business-advancing technology and software.
The impact of the MTN Women in Digital Business Challenge is evident in the success stories of previous participant tech entrepreneurs, such as Mamello Mofokeng, Khathu Maphari, Aasiyah Adams and Elizabeth Booi, says the telco.
“As we reflect on 30 years of democracy, we must celebrate the monumental strides made by South African women. From the historic march of 1956, to today's tech-savvy entrepreneurs, the journey of women in SA is a testament to resilience, innovation and transformation, “concludes Molefe.
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