In the past two years Sentech has taken on 60 candidates for their learnership, certificate and internship programmes with an 87% employment success rate, according to the group.
Sentech offers three learnerships that are integral to the telecommunication industry and equip candidates for the realities of the employment market. The learnerships, Systems Support Desk Top and Telecommunications Technician, are at NQF 5 while IT Technical Support is an NQF 4 programme. The learnerships comprise a three-month theoretical portion and a nine-month practical where learners are stationed around the country at transmission control centres where their skills can be most effectively utilised.
The certificate courses which include Customer Management, Sales and Marketing and Business Accounting - both at NQF 5 - provide an 11-month practical portion with one month of theory. During the learnership and certificate programmes, learners are exposed to all areas of the business including marketing, sales and finance, says Sentech.
Applicants who apply, usually in response to advertisements in science and technology publications, must have an N6 or S4 in telecommunications and are interviewed to ensure they meet with the selection criteria. Sentech says that it actively sources disabled candidates from relevant organisations to ensure the disabled component for skills development is met. According to Sentech, in the previous intake for the programmes there was a female majority, with 82% PDI and 4% disabled. For the current Telecommunications Technician Learnership programme, there is an equal proportion of male and female learners, 10% of them are white.
Explains Patricia Roper, human resources manager, Sentech: "There is a perception that learnerships are for blacks only. This is not so and we urge white candidates to apply for learnerships as Sentech is determined to maintain properly balanced equity profiles with a 15% component of white employees."
Internally, Sentech offers employees the Accelerated Skills Transfer Programme. Skills transfer specialists, drawn from senior and more experienced employees, provide one-on-one training to candidates. Sentech says that the focus is on rapid progress, knowledge and skills acquisition to fast track these individuals to become team leaders within a year or two, depending on the individual. The programme concentrates on technicians and has been available for three years.
"We have had 73% success rate, with employees promoted to team leader level and 9% promoted to transmitter control centre manager," notes Roper. "Another aspect of Sentech's internal training is the promotion of self-development where 46 bursaries have been granted in 2006 for studies that are within the scope of the individuals."
"Our programmes are part of Sentech's strategic focus for skills development and training, addressing technical support as a major function for the telecommunication deliverables required for the 2010 Soccer World Cup," Roper adds.
For more information see www.sentech.co.za
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