Date: 30/11/2004
Source: Department of Labour
Title: Mdladlana: Microsoft Graduate Academy
Speech by Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdladlana at the opening of the Microsoft Graduate Academy
Programme Director: Mr Chose Choeu
Mr Gordon Fraser, Microsoft Managing Director and members of your Senior Management and staff
The ISSET SETA Deputy Chairperson Mr. Tanto Rachibi and CEO Mr. Oupa Mopaki
Members of the ISSET SETA governing body present here today
Ladies and Gentlemen
Programme Director, Information Technology is one of our strategic sectors that operate in an environment that is volatile and the global opportunities and threats abound. IT skills have been cited as critical to the success of this country and amongst our priority in the list of scarce skills. The need for rapid skills development in IT for South Africa to remain globally competitive and to secure or even create new jobs cannot be overemphasised.
Members of the ISSET SETA governing body know how much I have gone out of my way to defend SETAs where their performance has justified it, and where appropriate, I have not held back on my own criticism where they have failed to meet my expectations since their establishment in March 2000.
I have done so because I am convinced about the important role SETAs can play in our society. I know how substantial research, consultation and negotiation have shaped SETAs into organs of peoples’ power capable of achieving their mandate. I know that they have sufficient legal, financial and administrative powers to get their work done. I also know that more work is still needed to ensure that SETAs play their part to extend the transformation and democratisation of all aspects of education, training and development in our country to empower our people.
Despite their perceived problems, SETAs through the additional grants made from the National Skills Fund and the South African Revenue Tax Incentives, have collectively assisted us to reach and exceed the 80 000 learnership targets set for March 2005. We have recorded a total of 82 425 learners below the age of 35 in learnerships and apprenticeships by end of October 2004. Is this not remarkable?
Targets are just but a number that we strive to achieve, but I am glad that we made it. I will not however suggest for a moment that anyone of us should relax, given the scale of youth unemployment challenge that we still face. I hope that you will join me in celebrating these and other skills development achievements, during our Skills Development Conference in March 2005.
To you Mr. Gordon Fraser and the Microsoft Senior Management, thank you for embracing the Department of Labour’s call to invest in our people and for Opening the doors of the Microsoft Graduate Academy to our people for learning. The long-term benefits of your investment in this Graduate Academy should be felt throughout the length and breath of our country - in fact we’ll ask for reports that show that this goal is in practice being achieved - because if it succeeds, it’ll be an important example to other large multinationals in our country.
Programme Director, through this academy and by providing young people with an opportunity in the various IT workplaces, to acquire the requisite knowledge, skills and understanding for success, Microsoft is also contributing to our endeavours to build a vibrant and healthy economy. Microsoft’s intake of additional learners in this IT initiative will also go a long way in assisting us to address the problem of youth unemployment in our country. Your efforts are an example of a true “people’s contract” and collaborative work between Government, business, labour and the community.
So I urge Microsoft and the ISSET SETA to ensure that this pilot programme, while finding ways of securing accreditation and the necessary registration, is well structured and that learners have the appropriate contracts so that we do not encounter problems in the near future. Let us also not forget the plight of those who are already in employment, as they also need to have their skills upgraded in this academy.
I also further urge you, to explore possible working relations and working partnerships with other public institutions so that we can establish other similar academies of excellence in other provinces and within the various local communities of Limpompo, the Eastern Cape, the Northern Cape, Mpumalanga etc. because the need for these IT skills is still quite massive.
Programme Director, Public Further Education and Training Colleges and the Higher Education Sector’s institutions are vital national resources and remain critical for us to achieve our goals of taking learning to scale to all our people. There is a common denominator especially between SETAs, the FET Colleges and Universities of Technologies and this Microsoft initiative, given the traditional focus of these providers on occupational learning. Many learners that would not otherwise access tertiary level education either due to resources or geographical limitations have been able to turn to these alternative institutions because of their existence in many parts of our country; and their central location in communities. Their reach and penetration can enable expanded access to the benefits of the skills development strategy.
It is for this reason that I wish that one day, Microsoft and other major companies within the IT sector, the Department of Communications and the ISSET SETA can take a leadership role in relation to this challenge, and explore the possibility of establishing an IT public-private partnership with our public institutions.
I have no doubt in mind that, this move will indeed, lead to the giant Microsoft skills and expertise including ISSET SETA resources, being spread across the length and breadth of our country, it may be costly in the initial stages but in the long run, it will lead to cost savings, it will increase our reach to more learners, it will increase the availability of high quality, relevant IT skills in the country, It will change the lives of ordinary people and, it will encourage other companies to follow in your footsteps.
To the 12 learners who are part of the Internship pilot introduced in August this year, and to the other 12 learners about to commence in January 2005, you are the reason for our presence here today. I am challenging you to complete this programme without a single one of you dropping-out.
The government, the ISSET SETA and Microsoft, is giving you an opportunity, of a lifetime. As you proceed in this programme, remember the millions of other young people out there who are envying you and would also like to have this opportunity. Please do not disappoint us. Microsoft has indicated to me that about 90% of those of you who will be fortunate to complete this programme successfully are guaranteed placement. Use this opportunity.
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Labour
30 November 2004
Source: Department of Labour
Title: Mdladlana: Microsoft Graduate Academy
Speech by Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdladlana at the opening of the Microsoft Graduate Academy
Programme Director: Mr Chose Choeu
Mr Gordon Fraser, Microsoft Managing Director and members of your Senior Management and staff
The ISSET SETA Deputy Chairperson Mr. Tanto Rachibi and CEO Mr. Oupa Mopaki
Members of the ISSET SETA governing body present here today
Ladies and Gentlemen
Programme Director, Information Technology is one of our strategic sectors that operate in an environment that is volatile and the global opportunities and threats abound. IT skills have been cited as critical to the success of this country and amongst our priority in the list of scarce skills. The need for rapid skills development in IT for South Africa to remain globally competitive and to secure or even create new jobs cannot be overemphasised.
Members of the ISSET SETA governing body know how much I have gone out of my way to defend SETAs where their performance has justified it, and where appropriate, I have not held back on my own criticism where they have failed to meet my expectations since their establishment in March 2000.
I have done so because I am convinced about the important role SETAs can play in our society. I know how substantial research, consultation and negotiation have shaped SETAs into organs of peoples’ power capable of achieving their mandate. I know that they have sufficient legal, financial and administrative powers to get their work done. I also know that more work is still needed to ensure that SETAs play their part to extend the transformation and democratisation of all aspects of education, training and development in our country to empower our people.
Despite their perceived problems, SETAs through the additional grants made from the National Skills Fund and the South African Revenue Tax Incentives, have collectively assisted us to reach and exceed the 80 000 learnership targets set for March 2005. We have recorded a total of 82 425 learners below the age of 35 in learnerships and apprenticeships by end of October 2004. Is this not remarkable?
Targets are just but a number that we strive to achieve, but I am glad that we made it. I will not however suggest for a moment that anyone of us should relax, given the scale of youth unemployment challenge that we still face. I hope that you will join me in celebrating these and other skills development achievements, during our Skills Development Conference in March 2005.
To you Mr. Gordon Fraser and the Microsoft Senior Management, thank you for embracing the Department of Labour’s call to invest in our people and for Opening the doors of the Microsoft Graduate Academy to our people for learning. The long-term benefits of your investment in this Graduate Academy should be felt throughout the length and breath of our country - in fact we’ll ask for reports that show that this goal is in practice being achieved - because if it succeeds, it’ll be an important example to other large multinationals in our country.
Programme Director, through this academy and by providing young people with an opportunity in the various IT workplaces, to acquire the requisite knowledge, skills and understanding for success, Microsoft is also contributing to our endeavours to build a vibrant and healthy economy. Microsoft’s intake of additional learners in this IT initiative will also go a long way in assisting us to address the problem of youth unemployment in our country. Your efforts are an example of a true “people’s contract” and collaborative work between Government, business, labour and the community.
So I urge Microsoft and the ISSET SETA to ensure that this pilot programme, while finding ways of securing accreditation and the necessary registration, is well structured and that learners have the appropriate contracts so that we do not encounter problems in the near future. Let us also not forget the plight of those who are already in employment, as they also need to have their skills upgraded in this academy.
I also further urge you, to explore possible working relations and working partnerships with other public institutions so that we can establish other similar academies of excellence in other provinces and within the various local communities of Limpompo, the Eastern Cape, the Northern Cape, Mpumalanga etc. because the need for these IT skills is still quite massive.
Programme Director, Public Further Education and Training Colleges and the Higher Education Sector’s institutions are vital national resources and remain critical for us to achieve our goals of taking learning to scale to all our people. There is a common denominator especially between SETAs, the FET Colleges and Universities of Technologies and this Microsoft initiative, given the traditional focus of these providers on occupational learning. Many learners that would not otherwise access tertiary level education either due to resources or geographical limitations have been able to turn to these alternative institutions because of their existence in many parts of our country; and their central location in communities. Their reach and penetration can enable expanded access to the benefits of the skills development strategy.
It is for this reason that I wish that one day, Microsoft and other major companies within the IT sector, the Department of Communications and the ISSET SETA can take a leadership role in relation to this challenge, and explore the possibility of establishing an IT public-private partnership with our public institutions.
I have no doubt in mind that, this move will indeed, lead to the giant Microsoft skills and expertise including ISSET SETA resources, being spread across the length and breadth of our country, it may be costly in the initial stages but in the long run, it will lead to cost savings, it will increase our reach to more learners, it will increase the availability of high quality, relevant IT skills in the country, It will change the lives of ordinary people and, it will encourage other companies to follow in your footsteps.
To the 12 learners who are part of the Internship pilot introduced in August this year, and to the other 12 learners about to commence in January 2005, you are the reason for our presence here today. I am challenging you to complete this programme without a single one of you dropping-out.
The government, the ISSET SETA and Microsoft, is giving you an opportunity, of a lifetime. As you proceed in this programme, remember the millions of other young people out there who are envying you and would also like to have this opportunity. Please do not disappoint us. Microsoft has indicated to me that about 90% of those of you who will be fortunate to complete this programme successfully are guaranteed placement. Use this opportunity.
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Labour
30 November 2004
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