NPO Life Choices Partners With Momentum Metropolitan Foundation To Launch Digital Accelerator Called LC Studio
NPO Life Choices Partners With Momentum Metropolitan Foundation To Launch Digital Accelerator Called LC Studio. Cape Town-based non-profit organisation (NPO) Life Choices has launched LC Studio in partnership with the Momentum Metropolitan Foundation. The digital accelerator was officially launched on 29 June 2021 to allow unemployed youth to accelerate through the training process, from inexperienced intern to skilled digital employee.
Managing Director at Life Choices Sofia Neves told Venture Burn, “One of Life Choices interventions provide school-leavers with 6-months coding boot camps combined with 6-months industry internships. However, COVID-19 disrupted the normal internship process and a solution was needed to ensure that these students do not fall by the wayside. We decided to launch our own Dev House to ensure that students receive real-world experience while working on commercial projects. At the same time, clients engage with interns regularly to recruit young talent, in this way we can ensure the final aim of the intervention – youth employment.”
“We have enrolled 44 interns that have piloted several projects, several websites and web applications. Based on the pilot, we are now launching LC Studio that will offer services in web design, web application and QA testing,” Neves added.
Ryan Geel, Head of LC Studio also told Venture Burn that, “It is distressing that in a country with such high unemployment, companies are struggling to find tech talent and on average 28 000 digital and ICT jobs are offshored to other countries, translating to billions of lost export revenue.”
“The reason for this crisis is multifaceted; price sensitivity and expertise are top contributors. We are also aware that these jobs are mainly at mid to senior levels and that many companies cannot upskill juniors to those levels. It is critical to find creative solutions to this. This is always the ultimate goal,” says Geel. “Permanent employment using the skills and experience they have gained at LC Studio.”
Life Choices believes that the human spirit is remarkably resilient – no matter who its parents are, where it lives, or what kinds of connections, abilities, and opportunities life may have offered it. Even in circumstances where the odds seem hopelessly stacked against them – there is endless potential waiting to be freed. “we all have the potential to shape our lives in ways that will bring us the meaning and success we long for.” the NPO said on its website.
