CAPE TOWN - The Information Technology Association (ITA) and the Jobs Summit signed a charter to create 75 000 jobs within the next three years.
The charter was signed at the Future of Technology conference which was held in Johannesburg yesterday.
“Whereas other parts of the economy may shed jobs, the IT sector is creating employment. The demand is particularly for more advanced skills. As leaders, we will need to create pathways for young people to gain those skills”, said the president of the ITA, Sunil Genness.
Notably, the charter is the result of a year-long consultation that took place between the Jobs Summit and the IT sector.
According to Stephan Lauber from the Jobs Summit, the IT sector can provide training at a low cost as it is mainly based online. The Jobs Summit has also developed the “Each one, Hire One” programme which will place learners into smaller companies.
Learners can then progress from this programme to become young entrepreneurs and work from the Job Summit’s “Gig Hub” or they can choose to enter the corporate world through the “Career Mobility” programme.
According to a Jobs Summit spokesperson, for this year, the aim is to create 15 000 jobs.
By the year 2021, more than 75 000 jobs will hopefully be created.