FINAL-YEAR IT STUDENTS GRADUATE IN AI EDUCATION THANKS TO WSU-SAMSUNG PARTNERSHIP

Relief and unbridled joy permeated the air at WSU’s Potsdam Site as approximately 25 final-year Information Technology (IT) students from the Buffalo City Campus graduated from an 8-month 4IR-centred course brought about by a partnership between WSU and tech giants, Samsung.

Initiated in 2022 with its first intake of 19 final-year IT students, the WSU-Samsung Innovation Campus programme this year saw students awarded certificates not only for the Basic Coding and Programming course, but also for completing the Artificial Intelligence course – a first-of-its-kind certification in Africa. Addressing the audience in a bid to articulate her experience, Somila Mdletye, one of the beneficiaries awarded with a certificate, spoke of her fascinating deep-dive into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its applications in the field of Information Technology.

Mdletye said the course explored foundational concepts such as Machine Learning, Neural Networks, and Deep Learning, and further delving into the algorithms and techniques that power intelligent systems, all the while honing students’ skills in maths for data science, understanding the crucial role of statistics and linear algebra in analysing and interpreting data.

“But beyond all the technical skills, what sets our journey apart is the recognition of the profound impact AI has on the IT landscape. As we stand on the cusp of a digital revolution, fuelled by AI and automation, our expertise in these domains positions us at the forefront of innovation, “ she said.

Katlego Magoro, a beneficiary of the first cohort of the programme and who’s gone on to work in the ICT industry as software quality engineer, shared words of encouragement with the awardees.

Magoro said: “As the first cohort of students in Africa to graduate in such a programme, I implore you to take advantage of the skills you’ve been taught and utilize and capitalize on this great knowledge and skill. AI is at the centre of almost all business strategies and systems and needs people like yourselves to fill the void. “

The awards ceremony took place at the Potsdam Site Great Hall on Tuesday 20 February in front of university executives, lecturers, staff and proud parents.

“On behalf of Mr Simon Lee, Samsung South Africa CEO, it gives me great pleasure to be standing here today to celebrate this second cohort of students who, through the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC), are the first in Africa to graduate in Artificial Intelligence (AI) education. Graduations are the kind of achievements and moments that you all need to cherish and be proud of,“ said Samsung BBBEE/Transformation manager Lenhle Khoza.

In light of crippling and invasive effects of poverty and youth unemployment currently hindering the country, Khoza said the SIC programme is designed specifically to help overcome poverty and youth unemployment by increasing the prospects of employment and entrepreneurship in the Eastern Cape’s youth.

Given the enthusiasm and growing interest with which the university has responded to the rollout of the curriculum, Khoza said the ultimate aim would be to continue to partner with “like-minded“ institutions like WSU and government to equip the youth with 4IR skills in order to curb poverty and unemployment.

“This partnership is very important because it ensures that together, we can continue training you, the leaders of tomorrow to use AI tools and platforms so that you can effectively maximise the benefits of these new and exciting emerging technologies in your future careers. The WSU-SIC stats have revealed that the technology capability growth-rate in this programme is now sitting at 69% compared to when the programme started,“ said Khoza.

By Thando Cezula