Software development training academy WeThinkCodeis urging local organisations to offer employment opportunities to its graduates, by joining its SME Placement Programme.
The software development academy, which aims to address the dual issues of SA’s tech skills shortage and the high level of unemployed youth, says a total of 1 108 graduates have completed its programme since inception.
WeThinkCode was launched in SA in 2015 and welcomed its first coding students in May 2016. It seeks to eliminate the digital skills shortage by developing 100 000 coders in Africa over the next 10 years.
WeThinkCode has a 91% average placement rate within 4 months of graduation.
Last month, the academy commemorated the graduation of its cohort of 368 students, who commenced training in September 2021.
Prior to the graduation, the academy placed 64% of participants into job opportunities.
These graduates now have the skills to take up entry-level software development jobs. This could see them earn R264 000 a year in Cape Town, R240 000 a year in Johannesburg and R204 000 a year in Durban, according to OfferZen.
“Graduates have been placed in various graduate and junior developer roles, such as graduate test analysts, graduate software developers and junior software developer consultants,” says Siphosethu Komani, chief commercial officer at WeThinkCode.
“Our graduates have been commended for their work ethic and commitment to learning. Feedback from hiring partners has been mostly positive, and most stated they believe WeThinkCode graduates perform at a junior developer level immediately after completing the programme.”
There are three specialised electives: automation quality assurance, systems integration and mobile application development.
According to the academy, students enter the SME Placement Programme with their tuition fees already sponsored. All the SME partner companies have to pay is the internship stipend.
The programme is an opportunity to bring highly-skilled junior software developers into a company, while at the same time providing an essential internship environment that will ensure their eventual success, it says.
Its biggest placement partners this year are GK Software, BBD, First National Bank and Vodacom, which in total make up 29% of job placements, notes the academy.
WeThinkCode says it has students from the recent graduating class who are ready to be placed, with placement preparations for January 2024 internships under way.
Enquiries on the SME Placement Programme can be sent to placements@wethinkcode.co.za.