Technoserve Takes Up President Ramaphosa’s Challenge To Place 4IR At Centre Of Economic Recovery

“South Africa must place the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) at the centre of its economic recovery as the country attempts to shed the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic,” remarked President Cyril Ramaphosa when he recently received the 4IR report.

The report was compiled and presented to Ramaphosa by a Presidential Commission on 4IR.

Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams and Deputy Chairperson of the Commission Professor Tshilidzi Marwala led the commission.

Tumelo Dichabe, a Business Advisor at Technoserve, says in response to the president’s 4IR challenge, the company has developed a 12-month programme focusing on harnessing youth creativity and energy.

He says Technoserve’s programme is unique in that it takes youth through the entire value chain from skills acquisition to entrepreneurship.

“Youth Ideas Development Technology (YID-Tech) is a youth development programme,” explains Dichabe.

“It is an initiative focused on empowering 60 business-minded youth around Gauteng (Pretoria and Johannesburg townships) with knowledge and skills in the electronics maintenance and assembly sector falling under Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Dichabe says the programme collaborates with the Media, Information, and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA) to identify and select an accredited skills programme/short course linked to the Further Education and Training Certificate in Electronics.

The programme includes the provision of resources, training, and grant finance to help participants to form a meaningful part of the electronics sector.

“The programme has four key steps that make it unique. It essentially takes youth through a full journey of learning about the sector, internship, and setting up a business,” says Dichabe.

“Finally, participants are provided with mentorship throughout the cut-throat world of entrepreneurship.” 

Dichabe says the programme steps include:

 

• Step 1 – Provide recognised formal training to 60 beneficiaries. On completion, they will acquire a certified skills program certificate from the Electronics qualification. Procure Electronic Equipment Repair Tool Kits for 15 successful entrepreneur graduates and provide limited funding to allow them to start earning an income. 
• Step 2 – place 15 selected graduates in internships with electronics maintenance and repair companies in their areas. Travel stipends to be paid for the duration of the program (5/6 months). 
• Step 3 – assist the entrepreneurial graduates to set up their small businesses and fund the registration, branding, and marketing aspects of their entities while identifying markets that require their services. 
• Step 4 – provide mentorship and aftercare support to successful and qualifying candidates. 

Technoserve, is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty.

Technoserve delivers the programme in partnership with Citi Foundation – the philanthropic arm of global banking giant Citi Group, which has more than 200 million customers – operating in over 160 countries.

Technoserve is a non-profit organisation operating in 29 countries, working with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries.