WSU E-SKILLS COLAB UNVEILS PYTHON PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS, ADVANCING 4IR

The Eastern Cape e-Skills ICT CoLab under the Faculty of Engineering, Business, and Information Technology (FEBEIT) at WSU, has taken significant strides in enhancing digital literacy by introducing the Python coding program.

This is a product of a WSU-NEMISA collaboration, established via a Memorandum of Agreement, which aims to equip students and rural communities with essential Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills, as part of the broader mandate of the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.

e-Skills ICT CoLab director at WSU, Sibukele Gumbo, said: “Python programing was integrated into the CoLab's curriculum to address the global and local demand for programing skills, pivotal in the 4IR landscape. The decision to introduce Python at WSU was influenced by the language's versatility, ease of learning, and its substantial role in data science, web development, artificial intelligence (AI), and various other technological fields.”

Gumbo added that learning Python is crucial for WSU students not only for their academic enhancement, but I also for ensuring they remain competitive in the evolving job market, where digital skills are increasingly important.

“Training in Python programing is likely to significantly impact WSU students’ career trajectories, equipping them with critical skills that are highly sought after in the tech industry. This expertise increases their employability and positions them as contributors to technological advancement in South Africa,” said Gumbo.

She added that, in the long term, these skills could enable students to drive innovation within key economic sectors, support local tech ecosystems, and potentially lead initiatives that address unique challenges through technology-based solutions.

Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics second-year student, Cesky Fhulufhelo Nengudza, said: “The program was well balanced between theory and practical applications. The theoretical aspect helped me understand the foundational concepts, while the practical sessions allowed me to apply what I learned in real-time.

Nengudza added that the program provided her with the basics needed to perform data analysis, which will help her in her postgraduate studies when she needs to analyse a large set of data.

The completion of the theory component of the Python program was met with enthusiasm from the students, as members of the Portfolio Committee in the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies attended the  certification ceremony.

“At the end of the project, the students were shown how to analyse X data previously known as Twitter to extract meaningful insights and how to handle large datasets, as demonstrated by an exercise that involved processing a file containing over 10 million rows of data,” said Gumbo.

Gumbo concluded that these activities were essential for understanding how to implement Python effectively across various contexts, equipping students with the necessary tools to innovate and address practical challenges efficiently.

By Anita Roji