Youth development agency Afrika Tikkun has collaborated with Microsoft South Africa to launch an ICT Academy, called Going Mobile, based in Olievenhoutbosch in Centurion, Gauteng.
According to a statement, the academy will offer a programme designed to empower unemployed young people, by equipping them with vital ICT skills, enabling them to forge sustainable careers within the rapidly-evolving technology sector.
Running until June 2025, the initiative aims to address the pressing issue of youth unemployment in SA. Through practical training and real-world application, participants will gain access to crucial technical competencies that can open doors to opportunities in ICT and beyond, it notes.
The organisations have a long-standing partnership. In 2020, Microsoft South Africa committed a $150 000 grant to Afrika Tikkun, as part of a strategic partnership programme for its Global Skills Initiative, aimed at providing critical digital skills to 50 000 South Africans.
Microsoft says its commitment goes beyond the advancement of technology, and forms part of its strategic long-term vision to partner with non-profits like Afrika Tikkun, to drive the programme locally and assist those who need it most to re-skill and pursue in-demand jobs, using resources from LinkedIn, Microsoft and e-learning platform GitHub.
“Microsoft is dedicated to building and operating data centres that not only enhance technological innovation, but also address societal challenges,” it adds.
Afrika Tikkun was founded in 1994, with the goal of developing and uplifting young people in underprivileged communities in SA. The organisation works to end child poverty and youth unemployment by implementing a “cradle-to-career 360-degree model”.
“Afrika Tikkun is thrilled to collaborate with Microsoft's Data Centre Community Affairs team to launch the ICT Academy,” it comments.