Rural women get up and at IT
30 June 2004
The development of women entrepreneurs in information technology in South Africa was boosted recently with the launch of a women's IT academy in Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape - an initiative which will be duplicated across the country.
The initiative, spearheaded by Technology for Women in Business (TWIB), is being partnered by the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Science and Technology, Cisco Systems International, Microsoft SA, Digital Partners and the CSIR.
The academy will be linked to other IT training activities in the region, creating a network of IT training facilities across areas greatly in need of skills development.
At the same time, the academy - which will offer Cisco CCNA certificate qualifications - will help to develop a skills base from which the IT sector can draw additional human resources.
The academy has been established in a rural environment to provide rural school leavers with entry
qualifications for broader career choices in the IT industry. It also aims to expose young rural women to IT, and to enrich ICT and engineering awareness among rural communities.
TWIB says the academy, and the many more that are expected to be created, will empower young women to improve their career prospects or start their own businesses, providing them with access to local and global opportunities.
Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Lindiwe Hendricks said the role that TWIB plays in promoting access to technology, specifically targeting women, was critical.
TWIB targets women-owned enterprises, assisting them in accessing new technologies and using technology more effectively. Its Techno-girls Programme targets young woman, encouraging them to pursue careers in science and technology.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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