Local Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solutions provider, Intervate, recently announced it has once again realised positive results from its Graduate Learnership Programme. Five out of the ten learners appointed and supported through 2008/9 have become permanent members of Intervate’s staff compliment, effective 1 September 2009.
Developed in collaboration with Microsoft, endorsed by ISETT SETA and supported by a substantial annual investment from Intervate, the Graduate Learnership Programme is focused on creating the IT experts of tomorrow. The programme includes a combination of intensive academic studies through Intervate’s certified training centre and rigorous on-the-job practical training under the mentorship of senior staff.
“Intervate is committed to developing the skills and realising the potential of previously disadvantaged individuals in South Africa and it is for this reason that we annually interview and employ a significant number of applicants in our Graduate Learnership Programme,” says Migal van As, chairperson of Intervate. “Launched in 2000, our learnership development efforts have matured and grown every year and our 2008/9 intake not only included 10 learners in the programme, but resulted in five of them being permanently employed.”
Intervate’s efforts in this space go further than the programme itself. Individuals who cannot yet participate in the learnership programme due to poor English skills are sponsored through a Literacy Programme aimed at improving their English reading and comprehension.
“One member, Jerry Sitole, is currently attending the literacy course to prepare him for next year’s Graduate Programme,” adds Van As. Sitole says he thought he would never be able to attain success in his chosen field because of the language barrier and lack of opportunity, but Intervate has now given him the opportunity of a lifetime. “Not only am I learning and improving my English, but I will soon be receiving further training in the Information Technology field. Programmes like these are changing the lives of disadvantaged South Africans,” he says.
Mantu Dlamini, HR manager at Intervate has filled the role of mentor in previous intakes. She believes the company’s contribution to the development of others will have far-reaching consequences for South Africa as a country and for Intervate.
“Our industry will benefit from these programmes by gaining a pool of appropriately skilled workers who will form part of a thriving, creative and innovative workforce,” says Dlamini. “On a personal level, both the applicants and mentors leave the process feeling as though they’ve grown as human beings and we, at Intervate, will continue in our mandate to promote this growth going forward.”