Accenture has launched the EmployAbility Cadet Programme in South Africa for persons with disabilities, through which Accenture aims to support disability inclusion in the ICT sector.
The launch was conducted in conjunction with programme partners KLM Empowered, Mentec, SA Youth Project, and the Johannesburg Centre for Software Engineering.
“The goal of the programme is to create meaningful career opportunities for people with disabilities within the ICT sector,” says Gale Shabangu, Accenture’s Inclusion and Diversity lead in South Africa. “Participants will obtain the theoretical training as well as the on-the-job practical experience and skills they require to be fully prepared for possible future career opportunities.”
Over the course of the three-year learnership programme, participants will complete qualifications in project management (NQF4) and advanced project management (NQF5), as well as a National Certificate in Information Technology. Participants also will obtain practical experience and the opportunity to put the theoretical knowledge into practice.
After completing the programme, graduates will participate in an 18-month internship programme at the Accenture South Africa Delivery Centre. The goal is to attract and retain persons with disabilities into the ICT sector and ensure their sustainable and career-focused employment, versus ad-hoc, temporary work opportunities.
“Accenture welcomes people with different capabilities, perspectives and experiences because we believe that this diversity emanates in novel ideas and approaches to business challenges, a higher level of innovative thinking, and more-varied tactics that help achieve greater levels of success,” Shabangu says.
