Google aims to equip IT students and graduates with technical skills
Technology heavyweight, Google, plans to sharpen the software skills of local aspiring developers.
A Google spokesperson has announced the search engine giant’s intention to train thousands of people in online mastery in South Africa in the next five years.
According to Google Chief Executive, Sundar Pichai, the goal is to train millions of people, 40 per cent of whom are expected to be women, in Africa in an effort to make them better skilled, and enable them to find jobs. Software developers will also undergo intense training during this project.
The company intends to invest at least US $3 million in seed money, mentorship and working space access to over 60 newly established businesses in Africa in a period of three years.
Google will offer a combination of in-person and online training courses, and one of the languages the course will be offered in is isiZulu. The News spoke to a student at the Westcol Technical and Vocational Education and Training College in Krugersdorp West, 24-year-old Zimasa Dyosi, who is studying computer sciences and applied mathematics. He decided to pursue a technology-related career because he is a self-taught programmer who loves to solve problems. He said he has always dreamed of building software to simplify life, like making a device to connect the world, even if one person is in space.
“After graduating I would like to start by working for a big company like Google and then start a software company and do web designing,” said Zimasa.
He added that he would like top companies to help IT students and graduates on the West Rand in the near future, saying, “Major companies like Google must sponsor boot-camps for students where they can join forces and teach young investors to build applications together.”
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