PORT Elizabeth-based NPO, DO4SA, started an initiative that aims at training unemployed youth on in-demand IT skills and providing internships at no cost.
“Make Me A Coder” is a fully accredited NQF 5 course that focuses on women and men aged between 18 and 35 years, who have an interest in learning how to code.
It’s a year-long programme and when successfully completed, candidates will be able to work as either graphic designers or programmers who can build their own apps.
Public relations practitioner and project manager at DO4SA, Asif Mohamed, said that their aim with this programme was to eradicate the youths’ notion that they lack IT skills.
“It’s a really empowering programme where we’ve actually seen students grow within this industry and watched them apply the codes and programming skills they’ve learnt here,” he said.
Mohamed mentioned that seven students will be graduating in March and that the next step is trying to get them employed. “We currently have industries that we sent applications to and we’re just waiting for their replies.”
Another public relations practitioner and project manager at the NPO, Ryan Hendry, mentioned that absolutely anyone was welcome to apply and applications would be carefully reviewed before a candidate was accepted.
“Being accepted is more a privilege than a right because this is a formal qualification that puts the person that qualifies, way ahead of all the rest that are unemployed out there,” he said.
“This is not based on an apathy situation. We are looking for dedicated people, those who have a support structure and are willing to come to class diligently,” he added.
“There’s more to it than just the qualification. We also focus on mentorship and combine it with the whole coding programme.”
Classes run from Monday to Thursday and are only four hours long, from 08:30 until 12:30. Interested candidates can contact the DO4SA landline: 041 492 2484/5, or Asif on 082 640 5535 and Ryan on 083 785 3201.
- Application forms can be collected at the DO4SA offices on the corner of Hancock and Market Street, North End.
