A new partnership between mLab and the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority
mLab is a tech-centred business working alongside partners to build a vibrant, robust innovation ecosystem. The not-for-profit organisation accomplishes this by identifying and nurturing tech-talent among youth, supporting budding tech-entrepreneurs and their fledgling businesses, and creating technology that brings about change and improves the lives of ordinary South Africans.
mLab’s headquarters are located in Pretoria, Gauteng, with provincial offices in the Northern Cape and Limpopo. To ensure that its skills academy is as accessible to as many people as possible, the company has academies in Tembisa, Tshwane, Soweto, Polokwane and Kimberly. mLab also runs programmes in other Southern African markets and is able to provide access to international opportunities for programme participants.
According to the Education Commission, more than half of the nearly 2 billion youth worldwide will not have the skills or qualifications necessary to participate in a future characterised by the convergence and complementarity of emerging technology domains, broadly referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), or Industry 4.0. This dire shortage of skills translates to more than 50% of tomorrow’s human capital being potentially unprepared to enter the workforce. This is set to widen the digital divide between those who are prepared for 4IR and those who are not.
The partnership between mLab and MICT SETA is set to address this pressing challenge in South Africa through interventions including accredited skills training, ecosystem building, workforce development programmes and public policy. “The agreement between the two parties brings South Africa closer to the national development plan; Vision 2030,” says mLab CEO, Nicky Koorbanally. “It is set to boost the economy, reduce unemployment, increase investment and combat inequalities by upskilling and reskilling South Africans to keep up with the rapidly changing labour market.”
The MICT SETA CEO, Mr. Matome Madibana emphasised that this strategic partnership is further established to create an empowering and enabling climate for youth across the country to thrive and optimally contribute to the mainstream digital global economy through applications and solutions that can change living conditions to the better.
The MOU was signed on Monday, 30 May 2022 in Pretoria and extends to 31 March 2024.
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