By Nangamso Mabindla
9 September 2004

THE Eastern Cape government has initiated a development programme to prepare unemployed information technology graduates for the workplace, helping them acquire marketable skills.

The programme, which was initiated by the provincial department of labour as part of a learnership project launched last year, formally kicked off in Buffalo City on Wednesday, 8 September, with 90 students receiving a comprehensive outline of the year-long course.

The programme will initially start with 300 people and spread across the province from East London to Mthatha, Queenstown and Port Elizabeth.

The skills development programme will see students receiving formal training from an IT company before being seconded to various provincial government departments where they will be able to gain practical experience.

The one-year programme is expected to start full-time in October and will be run by IT company Mzantsi Technologies.

"We want to fill the gap between the training institution and the actual working world," the company's director for strategic management, Andile Sidinini, said.

Some of the students have graduated from some of the province's top institutions including the Port Elizabeth, Border and Eastern Cape technikons.

"These youngsters need to put to practice what they learned at tech in order for them to be more marketable," Sidinini said.

Part of the programme will identify the challenges facing unemployed graduates, assessing the challenges facing government and finding ways to assist government in delivering services to its people, Sidinini said.

After completing the course, students will work in government departments increasing the IT skills capacity of these departments.

Amanda Ntshoko, who has been unemployed for four years, said this programme will help her to fulfil her dream of working in the IT field and she thanked the provincial government and Mzantsi Technologies for giving her the opportunity.

"I have an IT diploma but have never used it. With this learnership programme I'll receive practical skills which will enable me to launch my career," she said.