More than a hundred young people from Limpopo, North West and the Northern Cape have successfully completed an ICT (information & communication technology) learnership programme that will empower them with e-commerce, graphic design, user experience and cloud computing skills.
The learnership programme at NQF level 4 is part of Anglo American‘s R1-billion investment commitment to implementing various education programmes in South Africa by 2030. Guided by its Sustainable Mining Plan, the company’s vision is to ensure children in its host mining communities access excellent education and training.
The participating learners were spread across the mining group’s operations, with 57 from Anglo American Platinum, 19 from Kumba Iron Ore and 25 from De Beers.
The year-long programme has resulted in the university admission of more than 40% of the graduates, while about 20% have secured fixed-term employment.
Education and community skills manager at Anglo American, Peggy Maphanga, says: “The ICT learnership programme started off as a pilot project in 2022 and was able produce over 30 graduates. We are proud that through the pilot we were able to extend the programme to 2024 and managed to attract a larger group of young people in our communities.
“At Anglo American, we have long believed that one of the greatest investments we can make in our country’s future is through education. Attaining ICT skills in today’s digitally charged environment will equip these young people with skills that can be used anywhere in the world.
“By blending theoretical learning with hands-on experience, learnerships produce skilled individuals who are more independent, require less supervision and possess stronger problem-solving abilities. In addition, these learners have earned a nationally recognised qualification that is relevant to the ICT industry, along with a learner allowance for the duration of the programme, making the experience both educational and financially rewarding,” she adds.
Reflecting on the success of the pilot cohort, Maphanga says about 31 former graduates are currently in university studying toward ICT-related courses through bursaries. One has started a maths tutoring business, another is pursuing a business in the renewable energy and construction sectors, and another one is volunteering at Lesedi High School in Kuruman, while the rest are seeking employment and are planning to register for studies in 2025.
Two of the former graduates from the pilot, Joy Moloto (20) and Elisa Ndou (21), were absorbed by Anglo American’s Group IM as intern systems developers and the remaining eight have been placed in various site operations supporting Group IM.
“Before joining the ICT learnership, I lacked direct in terms of the career path I really wanted to pursue. I applied for the ICT learnership to delve deeper into IT beyond merely understanding electronic devices and social media,” says Moloto.
“Having the chance to work for a prominent company like Anglo American Group IM is inspiring and thrilling. The learnership helped build my confidence and skills to see things differently and take on opportunities. It is a humbling yet challenging experience.”
Adds Ndou, “My enthusiasm for technology and my ambition to pursue a career in this exciting field inspired me to take this opportunity for learning and professional development. Being surrounded by motivated, like-minded people who encourage one another feels fantastic. Seeing women make notable progress in a historically male-dominated sector is encouraging.”
Image credit: DC Studio/Freepik
