For Nelson Mandela University students Kamva Twala and Mihle Vika, gaining a qualification is only part of the challenge of preparing for a career in technology.
Both say the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) programme has helped bridge the gap between what they learned in the classroom and the practical skills they need to compete for graduate programmes, internships and entry-level jobs.
The programme, a partnership between NMU and SIC, aims to help address the technology skills gap and unemployment by providing young people, particularly those from previously disadvantaged communities in the Eastern Cape, with practical digital skills.
Two NMU facilitators involved in the programme, Siseko Dano and Jason Macnamara, said they had seen students grow in confidence as they progressed through the programme.
Dano, whose role includes technical training, mentoring and monitoring students’ progress, said creating an environment where students could experiment and ask questions was central to his approach.
“My focus has been to create an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and learning through experimentation,” he said.
He said students had shown “genuine enthusiasm and curiosity” throughout the programme, with many going beyond the minimum requirements by doing additional practice and working with their peers.
“It’s rewarding to see students who initially lacked confidence become increasingly independent and capable as the programme progresses,” Dano said.
Macnamara said many young people used technology every day but did not necessarily have access to structured, practical training in areas such as coding and data analysis.
“One of the main challenges that many young people experience is lack of access to structured, practical technology training,” he said.
“They may use technology daily, but that does not necessarily mean they have had the opportunity to learn coding, data analysis or how to build their own digital solutions.”
The SIC programme addresses this by giving students practical experience in Python programming, algorithms, problem-solving, data processing, visualisation and dashboard development.
Macnamara said the programme also focused on communication, creativity, teamwork and collaboration through practical exercises and a recently held hackathon.
For some students, the new skills are already translating into ideas for potential businesses.
The facilitators said students had discussed ideas ranging from developing websites for companies and local businesses to creating digital tools that monitor internet performance.
Some students had also started looking at ways to turn their skills into income, while others had already secured employment.
For Twala, a Gqeberha-born student currently completing a postgraduate diploma in cybersecurity after obtaining a Bachelor of Information Technology degree, the programme has provided practical experience that he felt was missing from his academic studies.
He joined SIC to strengthen his technical skills and gain exposure to industry practices.
“Before joining the SIC programme, I had a solid academic foundation, but had limited exposure to industry-level development practices and collaborative software projects,” Twala said.
“SIC has provided an opportunity for me to bridge that gap by working on real-world challenges while learning from experienced facilitators.”
He said the programme had strengthened his Python programming and problem-solving skills and taught him how to approach software development in a professional environment.
Twala said the experience had also highlighted the importance of interpersonal skills and collaboration, particularly when working in diverse teams.
He said he was grateful to Samsung and NMU for creating opportunities aimed at preparing students for careers in the digital economy.
For Vika, who comes from Kwa-Zakhele in Gqeberha and is in the first year of a master’s degree in information technology, the programme helped him overcome a particular obstacle.
He said Python, Streamlit and data analysis had been among the more challenging areas of his studies.
Through SIC, he said, he had been able to strengthen his understanding of the technologies and develop greater confidence in applying for opportunities in the industry.
Before joining the programme, Vika said he had been reluctant to apply for internships because of the technical requirements often listed by employers.
“I was discouraged to apply for internships because of their specific and stringent requirements, which mostly involve Python and data analysis,” he said.
“However, because I now have a better understanding of how the code behind Python and data analysis works, I’m confident that I meet these industry requirements.”
He said the skills gained through the programme had helped him grasp concepts more quickly and efficiently.
Vika encouraged other students not to allow fear or a lack of confidence to prevent them from applying for opportunities such as SIC.
The experiences of the two students reflect the broader objective of the programme: to give young people practical technology skills while building the confidence, problem-solving ability and workplace skills needed to make the transition from university into employment.
For Samsung, the initiative forms part of its broader efforts to address the digital divide and equip young people with technology, entrepreneurship and workplace skills as South Africa moves further into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
This article was paid for by Samsung.