Sweden’s ambassador to South Africa, Håkan Juholt was the keynote speaker at WeThinkCode_’s Future of Digital Skills Conference.
The event was hosted a day after WeThinkCode_ won the award for Top Women Business in Skills Development at the 2022 Standard Bank Top Women Awards.
The ambassador headlined the conversation on the current state of digitisation and how various corporate, public sector, and civil society stakeholders can come together to build the future digital workforce. Juholt reiterated the Swedish embassy’s support of WeThinkCode_, which he says is at the forefront of reimagining a digital future.
“Digital skills are not just attractive in the labour market but will be at the forefront of creating the future. Therefore, the Swedish embassy supports WeThinkCode_, a prominent platform catching the train to the future,” he said.
The global shortage of digital skills presents a huge opportunity for South Africa to raise a generation of world-class software developers. If realised, South Africa could deliver local technical skills and solutions to power economic growth by training youth with future-focused skills.
WeThinkCode_ CEO Nyari Samushonga agrees that the future will be defined by the work being done now to overhaul the digital skills development pipeline in South Africa. She says that although the majority of education funding is in the public sector, private partners are well positioned to make a meaningful and long-term impact on skills development alongside their public sector counterparts.
Ambassador Juholt pointed out that pursuing a digitally competitive society could not happen without ensuring inclusion for all, something he says has been fundamental in Sweden’s success. “In Sweden, we combine human rights and democracy with growth. These are crucial for sustainable growth. We are investing in everyone, and a country can never be prosperous without investing equally in its citizens.”
WeThinkCode_ uses bespoke aptitude tests to identify talented youth from low income backgrounds, train them to be world class software developers and pathway them to employment in digital jobs. Since its launch in 2016, WeThinkCode_ has been building an impressive network of coding alumni. The academy’s rigorous training curriculum has launched the tech careers of over 700 WeThinkCode_ graduates, who have been placed into employment at some of South Africa’s leading businesses, as bona fide software developers.
The Ambassador’s remarks were followed by a panel discussion superbly hosted by WeThinkCode_ graduate Zenani Kagiso Zwane. Zwane is also the Academic Performance and Recruitment Administrator at WeThinkCode_.
Insights from the conversation left the audience optimistic about the future of digital skills. Despite the different backgrounds and affiliations of the panel members, there was a common thread and agreement on the path to building sustainable digital skill pipelines – a sign that the country is on the verge of important advancements in skills development.
WeThinkCode_ assembled a diverse panel of stakeholders to probe the path to a future-proof digital pipeline. Makano Morojele, GM of Education and Employability at Absa Citizenship brought a development and sustainability lens to the conversation; Bhabhali Ka Maphikela Nhlapo the current Education Secretary of COSATU and member of the Employment Equity Commission board, spoke from the perspective of a lifelong skills development strategist; Hope Lukoto, Chief Human Resources Officer at BCX, covered the context of Human Resources Strategy and Policy in a rapidly changing world; and Kevin Thompson, Senior Cloud Operations Manager at Sage’s HR & Payroll Business Unit, contributed insights from the shop floor, as a practising technologist. This lineup of speakers represented the complex ecosystem of stakeholders needed to build a viable and sustainable digital skills pipeline for South Africa. The panel discussion provided a holistic view of South Africa’s digital skills landscape, touching on the need to broaden inclusion in the tech sector.