Digital transformation of one company is hard enough, so imagine trying to drive that process across the entire economy.
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Digital skills hub to provide free access to MS Office 365 for South Africa’s youth
Information technology (IT) multinational Microsoft South Africa and digital skills organisation SAtion have formed a partnership to enhance the employability of youth through online platform the SAtion Digital Skills Hub.
The hub will provide free access to Microsoft Office 365 suite technology, free digital literacy resources and Microsoft Cloud Society resources to young South Africans aged 8 to 24.
The hub will offer three initiatives – the Global Skills Initiative (GSI), Mahala and Cloud Society – with each offering different opportunities for the youth, the unemployed, small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs), South Africans and government officials to acquire digital skills.
In this way, South Africans will be enabled to operate more effectively and competitively in the digital world.
“The digital economy creates the ideal opportunity for job creation. It also spurs innovation, boosts economic growth and supports long-term competitiveness,” says Microsoft South Africa MD Lillian Barnard.
“However, building the digital skills necessary to meet the changing landscape cannot be delivered by a single entity. Partnerships are essential for accelerating digital transformation and, more importantly, unlocking vital upskilling and reskilling initiatives.
“Through this partnership and the digital skills initiatives associated with it, we look forward to making a meaningful contribution in building South Africa’s digital capability, competitiveness and confidence.”
The GSI is a Microsoft programme that has empowered more than 30-million people around the world with skills needed for the digital economy.
In South Africa, through the Digital Skills Hub, the initiative will enable a minimum of 50 000 unemployed and disadvantaged people to acquire digital skills and certification for in-demand jobs in, for example, customer services, IT support, software development and graphic design.
The Mahala initiative allows people between the ages of 8 and 24 to sign up for free access to the Microsoft 365 suite, which includes programs for operating in the digital world, such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
Mahala users will also have access to 5 TB of online cloud storage, to ensure they are able to safely save their documents and access them remotely off any device. This is expected to greatly enhance access to IT-aided education in South Africa.
Meanwhile, the Microsoft Cloud Society is a programme designed to support South Africans in becoming world-class experts in the space of cloud computing.
Aimed at more advanced users already working in the IT industry, Cloud Society allows users to access comprehensive support in their journeys to becoming cloud computing experts.
The Digital Skills Hub will enable access to Microsoft’s one-stop platform hosting thousands of online learning courses aimed at turning users into Microsoft Azure experts.
Users have the option to become Microsoft-certified professionals through writing certification exams in a number of roles including developer, data scientist and artificial intelligence engineer, at an affordable cost.
Local nonprofit organisation Afrika Tikkun, through its skills and placement arm, Afrika Tikkun Services, will be offering access to computer equipment to ensure jobseekers are able to register for, and make use of, the GSI online learning programmes.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with SAtion as the implementing partner of Microsoft on the GSI project. We believe this partnership will enable young people to acquire in-demand digital skills and the technical certifications that are needed to position them well for the job market.
“We encourage young people to grab the opportunity offered through this initiative with both hands,” says Afrika Tikkun Services CEO Onyi Nwaneri.
Launched on June 14, SAtion draws together stakeholders in the private and public sectors, including government, large corporations, SMMEs, industrialists, private investors, thought leaders, and educational institutions, to discuss, coordinate and implement Fourth Industrial Revolution projects.
In this way, the initiative will ensure that public decision-makers and private sector entities are working together towards swift and sustainable economic growth in a twenty-first-century context.
South Africans that want to begin their digital upskilling journey with SAtion and Microsoft can visit the Digital Skills Hub website to register for the programme that best meets their needs.
Schalk Burger, edited by Chanel de Bruyn – (Engineering News – June 29, 2021)
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Image source: Microsoft
Microsoft & SAtion Partner to Bring Digital Skills to 50,000 Unemployed, Disadvantaged South Africans
After the announcement this month of record-high unemployment figures in South Africa which paint a grim picture for the country’s youth, SAtion announces a new partnership with Microsoft to enhance South Africans’ employability in the digital age.
The partnership’s online platform — the SAtion Digital Skills Hub — will invest in the country’s socio-economic progress by providing free access to Microsoft Office 365 suite technology to young South Africans from 8-24 years, free digital literacy resources, and Microsoft Cloud Society resources.
Launched on 14 June, SAtion draws together stakeholders in the private and public sectors — including government, large corporations, SMMEs, industrialists, private investors, thought leaders, and educational institutions —to discuss, co-ordinate and implement Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) projects.
In this way, the initiative will ensure that public decision-makers and private sector entities are working together towards swift and sustainable economic growth in a 21st-century context, rather than working against each other.
“President Ramaphosa’s conviction that South Africa’s youth will be at the centre of our economic recovery has never been more true – and the stakes have never been higher. Our determination to secure a competitive digital future for our youth and unemployed has driven us to conclude this momentous partnership” says Adam Craker, CEO of IQbusiness and enabling partner to SAtion.
The Digital Skills Hub
The Digital Skills Hub will host three initiatives — the Global Skills Initiative, Mahala, and Cloud Society — each offering different opportunities for the youth, the unemployed, SMMEs, all South Africans, and government officials to acquire digital skills.
Mahala is an initiative that allows people between the ages of 8 and 24 to sign up for free access to the Microsoft 365 suite, which includes programs indispensable to operating in the digital world, such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
In this way, South Africans will be enabled to operate more effectively and competitively in the digital world.
“The digital economy creates the ideal opportunity for job creation. It also spurs innovation, boosts economic growth and supports long-term competitiveness. However, building the digital skills necessary to meet the changing landscape cannot be delivered by a single entity. Partnerships are essential for accelerating digital transformation and, more importantly, unlocking vital upskilling and reskilling initiatives,” says Lillian Barnard, CEO at Microsoft South Africa.
“Through this partnership and the digital skills initiatives associated with it, we look forward to making a meaningful contribution in building South Africa’s digital capability, competitiveness and confidence.”
Microsoft’s Global Skills Initiative
The Global Skills Initiative is a Microsoft programme that has already empowered more than 30 million people around the world with digital skills for the digital economy.
In South Africa, through the Digital Skills Hub, the initiative will enable a minimum of 50 000 unemployed and disadvantaged people to acquire digital skills and certification for in-demand jobs in, for example, customer services, IT support, software development, and graphic design.
Local NPO, Afrika Tikkun, through its skills and placement arm, Afrika Tikkun Services, will be offering access to computer equipment to ensure that job seekers are able to register for, and make use of, the Global Skills Initiative’s (GSI) online learning programmes.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with SAtion as the implementing partner of Microsoft on the GSI project. We believe this partnership will enable young people to acquire in-demand digital skills and the technical certifications that are needed to position them well for the job market. We encourage young people to grab the opportunity offered through this initiative with both hands”, concludes Onyi Nwaneri, CEO of Afrika Tikkun Services.
South Africans wishing to begin their digital upskilling journey with SAtion and Microsoft can visit the Digital Skills Hub website to register for the programme that best meets their needs.
Edited by Luis Monzon – (ITNewsAfrica.com – June 29, 2021)
View the article here
Image Source: NS Energy
Microsoft and SAtion announce digital skills hub partnership
MICROSOFT and SAtion yesterday announced a Digital Skills Hub partnership to alleviate unemployment and bridge the digital divide in South Africa.
The partnership’s online platform, the SAtion Digital Skills Hub, will invest in the country’s socio-economic progress by providing free access to Microsoft Office 365 suite technology to South Africans aged from eight to 24, free digital literacy resources and Microsoft Cloud Society resources.
In South Africa, through the Digital Skills Hub, the initiative will enable a minimum of 50 000 unemployed and disadvantaged people to acquire digital skills and certification for in-demand jobs in, for example, customer services, IT support, software development and graphic design.
South Africans who want to begin their digital upskilling journey with SAtion and Microsoft can visit the Digital Skills Hub website to register for the programme that best meets their needs.
The Digital Skills Hub will host three initiatives — the Global Skills Initiative, Mahala, and Cloud Society — each offering different opportunities for the youth, the unemployed, small, medium and micro enterprises, all South Africans, and government officials to acquire digital skills.
Adam Craker, the chief executive of IQbusiness and enabling partner to SAtion, said: “President Ramaphosa’s conviction that South Africa’s youth will be at the centre of our economic recovery has never been more true – and the stakes have never been higher. Our determination to secure a competitive digital future for our youth and unemployed has driven us to conclude this momentous partnership.”
Lillian Barnard, the chief executive at Microsoft South Africa, said: “The digital economy creates the ideal opportunity for job creation. It also spurs innovation, boosts economic growth and supports long-term competitiveness.”
Local non-profit Afrika Tikkun, through its skills and placement arm, Afrika Tikkun Services, will offer access to computer equipment to ensure that job seekers are able to register for, and make use of, the Global Skills Initiative’s online learning programmes.
BR Reporter (IOL – June 30, 2021)
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Image Source: From article
Microsoft and SAtion announce Digital Skills Hub partnership to alleviate unemployment and bridge the digital divide in South Africa
After the announcement this month of record-high unemployment figures in South Africa which, in particular, paint a grim picture for the country’s youth, SAtion is proud to announce a partnership with Microsoft to enhance South Africans’ employability in the digital age. The partnership’s online platform — the SAtion Digital Skills Hub — will invest in the country’s socio-economic progress by providing free access to Microsoft Office 365 suite technology to young South Africans from 8-24 years, free digital literacy resources, and Microsoft Cloud Society resources.
Launched on 14 June, SAtion draws together stakeholders in the private and public sectors — including government, large corporations, SMMEs, industrialists, private investors, thought leaders, and educational institutions —to discuss, co-ordinate and implement Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) projects. In this way, the initiative will ensure that public decision makers and private sector entities are working together towards swift and sustainable economic growth in a 21st century context, rather than working against each other.
“President Ramaphosa’s conviction that South Africa’s youth will be at the centre of our economic recovery has never been more true – and the stakes have never been higher. Our determination to secure a competitive digital future for our youth and unemployed has driven us to conclude this momentous partnership” says Adam Craker, CEO of IQbusiness and enabling partner to SAtion.
The Digital Skills Hub will host three initiatives — the Global Skills Initiative, Mahala, and Cloud Society — each offering different opportunities for the youth, the unemployed, SMMEs, all South Africans, and government officials to acquire digital skills. In this way, South Africans will be enabled to operate more effectively and competitively in the digital world.
“The digital economy creates the ideal opportunity for job creation. It also spurs innovation, boosts economic growth and supports long-term competitiveness. However, building the digital skills necessary to meet the changing landscape cannot be delivered by a single entity. Partnerships are essential for accelerating digital transformation and, more importantly, unlocking vital upskilling and reskilling initiatives. Through this partnership and the digital skills initiatives associated with it, we look forward to making a meaningful contribution in building South Africa’s digital capability, competitiveness and confidence,” says Lillian Barnard, CEO at Microsoft South Africa.
The Global Skills Initiative is a Microsoft programme that has already empowered more than 30 million people around the world with digital skills for the digital economy. In South Africa, through the Digital Skills Hub, the initiative will enable a minimum of 50 000 unemployed and disadvantaged people to acquire digital skills and certification for in-demand jobs in, for example, customer services, IT support, software development, and graphic design.
Local NPO, Afrika Tikkun, through its skills and placement arm, Afrika Tikkun Services, will be offering access to computer equipment to ensure that jobseekers are able to register for, and make use of, the Global Skills Initiative’s (GSI) online learning programmes.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with SAtion as the implementing partner of Microsoft on the GSI project. We believe this partnership will enable young people to acquire in-demand digital skills and the technical certifications that are needed to position them well for the job market. We encourage young people to grab the opportunity offered through this initiative with both hands”, concludes Onyi Nwaneri, CEO of Afrika Tikkun Services.
Mahala is an initiative that allows people between the ages of 8 and 24 to sign up for free access to the Microsoft 365 suite, which includes programs indispensable to operating in the digital world, such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Mahala users will also have access to 5TB online cloud storage, to ensure they are able to safely save their documents and access them remotely off any device. This is expected to greatly enhance access to IT-aided education in South Africa.
Microsoft Cloud Society is a programme designed to support South Africans in becoming world-class experts in the space of cloud computing. Aimed at more advanced users already working in the IT industry, Cloud Society allows users to access comprehensive support in their journeys to becoming cloud computing experts. The Digital Skills Hub will enable access to Microsoft’s one-stop platform hosting thousands of online learning courses aimed at turning users into Microsoft Azure experts. Users have the option to become Microsoft Certified Professionals through writing certification exams in a number of roles including Developer, Data Scientist, and AI Engineer, at an affordable cost.
South Africans wishing to begin their digital upskilling journey with SAtion and Microsoft can visit the Digital Skills Hub website to register for the programme that best meets their needs.
Yiba – Jun 30, 2021
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Image Source: From article
Microsoft partners with SAtion to improve the skills of young SA
Microsoft collaborated with a digital skills development company SAtion create a youth-focused digital skills hub to reduce unemployment and strengthen connectivity in South Africa.
This as the last Stats SA Quarterly Labor Force Survey shows record unemployment figures in South Africa, with 74.7% of young people (aged 15-24) in South Africa being unemployed.
The online platform of the partnership – the SAtion digital skills center – invest in the socio-economic progress of the country by providing young South Africans between the ages of eight and 24 with free access to Microsoft Office 365, free digital literacy resources and Microsoft cloud company Resources.
Launched on June 14, SAtion aims to bring together actors from the private and public sectors – including government, large companies, SMEs, industrialists, private investors and educational institutions – to discuss, coordinate and implement the plans of the fourth industrial revolution.
In this way, the initiative will ensure that public policy makers and private sector entities work together for rapid and sustainable economic growth in the context of the 21st century, rather than working against each other, according to the organization.
“President Ramaphosa’s belief that the youth of SA will be at the center of our economic recovery has never been truer – and the stakes have never been higher,” said Adam Craker, CEO of IQbusiness and Enabling Partner of SAtion.
“Our determination to ensure a competitive digital future for our young people and our unemployed has prompted us to enter into this vital partnership. “
The digital skills hub, according to the companies, will host three initiatives – the Global Skills Initiative, Mahala and Cloud Society – each offering different opportunities for young people, the unemployed, SMEs, all South Africans and government officials to acquire digital skills. In this way, South Africans will be able to operate more efficiently and competitively in the digital world.
“The digital economy creates the perfect opportunity for job creation,” says Lillian Barnard, CEO of Microsoft South Africa.
“It also stimulates innovation, stimulates economic growth and supports long-term competitiveness. However, building the digital skills needed to cope with the changing landscape cannot be delivered by a single entity. Partnerships are essential to accelerate digital transformation and, more importantly, to unlock vital development and retraining initiatives.
Last year Microsoft the Global Skills Initiative, a program that the tech giant says has already enabled more than 30 million people worldwide to acquire digital skills for the digital economy.
In South Africa, through the digital skills hub, the initiative will enable a minimum of 50,000 unemployed and disadvantaged people to acquire digital skills and certification for jobs in demand, for example in customer services. , IT support, software development and graphic design.
South Africans wishing to start their digital development journey with SAtion and Microsoft can visit the digital skills hub website to enroll in the program that best meets their needs.
Microsoft partners with SAtion to improve the skills of young SA
Source link Microsoft partners with SAtion to improve the skills of young SA
Author: Jon Allen (Eminetra – 1 July 2021)
Image: Adam Craker, CEO of IQbusiness
Microsoft Office Is Free For South Africans Under 25
Microsoft Office suite – Word, Powerpoint, Excel, and their siblings – is for free for South Africans between the ages of 8 – 24. The offer is under the Mahala scheme, which will enable young people to be able to activate Microsoft licenses for the Microsoft Office 365 suite and 5TB OneDrive cloud-based storage services free of charge.
The Mahala.ms offer is part of a broader “Digital Skills Hub“, which aims to position South Africa as a smart, connected, and competitive global player.
Through the Digital Skills Hub, brought to you by Microsoft SA and SAtion, the organisation says it is committed to South Africa’s socio-economic transformation and to bringing the country into the 4IR, through bridging the digital divide, promoting digital literacy, skills transfer and digital upskilling.
Sign up and get Office365 for Free, which is valued at R1,800.
The Mahala.me services provide applications that you know and love across all your favourite devices. Get Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook & Excel and 5TB of storage to use on your PC or MAC, Mobile Phone or Tablet.
Author: Gugu Lourie (Tech Financials – Jun 30, 2021)
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Images Source: From article
Microsoft partners with SAtion to upskill SA youth
Microsoft has collaborated with digital skills development firm SAtion to create a youth-focused digital skills hub to alleviate unemployment and bolster connectivity in SA.
This as the latest Stats SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey shows record-high unemployment figures in SA, with 74.7% of youth (aged 15-24) in SA being unemployed.
The partnership’s online platform − the SAtion Digital Skills Hub − will invest in the country’s socio-economic progress by providing young South Africans from the ages of eight to 24 free access to Microsoft Office 365, free digital literacy resources and Microsoft Cloud Society resources.
“President Ramaphosa’s conviction that SA’s youth will be at the centre of our economic recovery has never been more true – and the stakes have never been higher,” says Adam Craker, CEO of IQbusiness and enabling partner to SAtion.
“Our determination to secure a competitive digital future for our youth and the unemployed has driven us to conclude this momentous partnership.”
The digital skills hub, according to the companies, will host three initiatives − the Global Skills Initiative, Mahala and Cloud Society − each offering different opportunities for the youth, the unemployed, SMMEs, all South Africans and government officials to acquire digital skills. In this way, South Africans will be enabled to operate more effectively and competitively in the digital world.
“The digital economy creates the ideal opportunity for job creation,” says Lillian Barnard, CEO of Microsoft South Africa.
“It also spurs innovation, boosts economic growth and supports long-term competitiveness. However, building the digital skills necessary to meet the changing landscape cannot be delivered by a single entity. Partnerships are essential for accelerating digital transformation and, more importantly, unlocking vital upskilling and reskilling initiatives.”
Last year, Microsoft announced the Global Skills Initiative, a programme which the tech giant says has already empowered more than 30 million people around the world with digital skills for the digital economy.
In SA, through the digital skills hub, the initiative will enable a minimum of 50 000 unemployed and disadvantaged people to acquire digital skills and certification for in-demand jobs in, for example, customer services, IT support, software development and graphic design.
South Africans wishing to begin their digital upskilling journey with SAtion and Microsoft can visit the digital skills hub Web site to register for the programme that best meets their needs.
ITWeb, 1 July 2021
Microsoft, SAtion to provide digital skills
MICROSOFT and SAtion yesterday announced a Digital Skills Hub partnership to alleviate unemployment and bridge the digital divide in South Africa.
Busa, IQbusiness launch of SAtion ecosystem to boost economic recovery
The SAtion initiative will enable public and private sector stakeholders, including government, large corporations, small, medium-sized and microenterprises, industrialists, private investors, thought leaders and educational institutions, to convene to discuss, coordinate and implement Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) projects.
“In this way, the initiative will ensure that public decision-makers and private sector entities are working together towards swift and sustainable economic growth in a twenty-first-century context, rather than working against each other,” the parties said in a statement.
SAtion envisages growth enabled by technologies such as artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity solutions, rapid payment systems, online State-citizen interfaces and advanced hardware infrastructure.
The implementation of these efficiency-enhancing tools will be underpinned by upskilling initiatives in formal education and will include assisting small businesses and entrepreneurs to take advantage of new technologies.
The coordinated, broadscale digital approach will accelerate the growth South Africa needs, while ensuring that growth is inclusive and sustainable into the future in a rapidly advancing world.
“The transition to a digitalised economy is a critical element of the Economic Recovery Strategy document developed by Busa through the Business for South Africa platform. We consider SAtion to be the instrument and tool that is the beginning of this journey. SAtion will enable us to ensure a digitalised economy contributes to inclusive growth and the development of our people,” said Busa CEO Cas Coovadia.
“Our vision for South Africa to become a digital nation stems from the knowledge and awareness of the benefits that come with digital transformation. While times may seem tough now for our country and our citizens, there is an LED at the end of the tunnel,” added IQBusiness CEO Adam Craker.
SAtion ecosystem leader Dimakatso Matshoga said that, like any of the three prior industrial revolutions, SAtion intends to bring about vital change and socioeconomic upliftment.
“SAtion will help ensure that the 4IR pragmatically supports black industrialists and entrepreneurs. In this way it will enable economic transformation through bridging the current digital divide.”
Busa and IQbusiness are confident that the SAtion initiative will play a crucial role in the creation of a prosperous and digital economy in South Africa.