CiTi to train 3000 IT professionals after securing R250m from BCX, Jobs Fund

The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi) today said it plans to train 3000 developers in the next three years through its CapaCiTi technology skills and job readiness programme.

This, after CiTi received funding from Telkom-owned company BCX and the National Treasury ‘s Jobs Fund — which together have each injected R100-million and R75-million into the programme, respectively.

The R175-million will be matched by other South African corporates that have partnered with CiTi in the past. The organisation has also called on other companies to partner with it on the initiative.

In a phone call with Ventureburn today (12 April), CiTi senior ecosystem manager Claire Jowell said the programme will address a challenge that both corporates and startups face — that of finding work-ready talent.

CiTi is now accepting applications for Johannesburg and Cape Town CapaCiTi programmes

“Our aim is to have students that can deliver value immediately when they are hired,” she said.

Since its launch in 2011, CapaCiTi has trained, mentored and placed 1000 young unemployed people in Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth.

’21st century skills’

Jowell said the programme’s agile curriculum has been built around feedback from companies and startups in the country on skills that are in demand by the IT sector.

The three to six month-long programme focuses particularly on soft skills training and real-workforce experience and participants also take part in a three-month internship.

She said participants will receive training in programming languages like Java and Python, in addition to “21st century skills” such as project management and assisting developers to collaborate better with one another.

The initiative — which has begun accepting applications for its Johannesburg and Cape Town July programmes ahead of the official launch of its recruitment campaign next week — has achieved a 97% placement rate in 130 companies to date, she said.