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Life has fundamentally changed for at least 10 WSU students following their participation in a technical digital skills cellphone programme championed by a WSU-based government initiative to alleviate poverty and unemployment through skills development.
The students, who formed part of a group of 30 community members principally made out of residents from the city of Gqeberha, formed a cohort of a very few individuals who qualified to participate in the NEMISA e-Skills Cellphone Repair programme which took place in Gqeberha from 3 June to 14 July.
After a 100% completion rate, the e-Skills CoLab duly hosted a graduation ceremony at the Southern Sun Hotel recently to honour the participants. The day's festivities were so significant, that they even included the beneficiaries wearing academic gowns and receiving certificates enclosed in a scroll canister.
“This celebration seeks to acknowledge the 30 SMMEs that have completed their training. The fundamental idea of this programme is to equip Eastern Cape and South Africa’s citizens in technical digital skills, to respond to the demands of the fourth industrial revolution," said WSU e-Skills CoLab director, Sibukele Gumbo.
One such WSU beneficiary was Tsolo’s very own BSc in Biological Sciences third-year student Retsusitse Madikiza, whose hunger to acquire a new skill saw him registering for the training even though it meant he’d have to regularly travel to Gqeberha.
Madikiza said central to the training was knowing what software to use should a mobile device refuse to switch on; prying open a device and closing it in a professional manner; diagnosing a problem with a device; and how to replace the screen.
“Following my completion of the programme, I quickly registered the business and named it EB Tech Collection. I currently operate in Mthatha but am looking forward to opening up my business in my hometown of uTsolo,” he said.
His contemporary, WSU BEd student Boniswa Putuma, said the initiative proved invaluable as it has provided her an outlet through which to make her own money through her own business using her skills.
One hindrance to Putuma’s business, B-Tech Cellphone Repairs, was doubts from the public about her actual skill and competence in being able to repair a cellphone.
“I’m ecstatic to receive the certificate of completion because I can now have something to hang on the wall that backs up my business legitimacy. I must add that such initiatives are incredibly important because they can change the youth's direction and trajectory in life, as it has mine,” she said.
Having attracted more than 500 applicants, the intervention proved that there was an urgent need for such skills development initiatives, as well as a significant interest in technical digital skills of such a nature.
The demographic composition of the final intake for the Gqeberha programme included 18 males and 12 females; as well as 26 youths and only 4 participants above the age of 35 years, magnifying the importance of youth development.
By Thando Cezula
