MTN has launched a Graduate Development Programme and Bursary Scheme for 2009. This HR initiative aims to facilitate job creation, skills development and the up-skilling of young graduates entering the telecommunications sector.
According to Tim Lowry, Managing Director of MTN SA, the company is investing R15-million in the programme over an initial two-year period.
“This is an ambitious development initiative to attract young graduates with specialist skills into the organisation. MTN, like many other South African companies, is faced with a shortage of high-end skills, particularly in the areas of finance, information systems, engineering and logistics.
“By initiating these two programmes, MTN is demonstrating its commitment to invest in the future of our youth, with sustainable job creation and a pipeline of talented skills coming into the industry for the betterment of South Africa and the African continent as a whole,” he says.
Themba Nyathi, Executive: HR MTN SA, says the aim of the programme is to create job opportunities and provide financial assistance for young graduates and students who are keen to enter the telecommunication sector.
Despite the global economic downturn, and at a time when many companies are cutting back on hiring staff, this sector is on a growth-path and faces a critical skills shortage in specific areas.
“MTN is pro-actively contributing to sustainable job creation and growing the telecommunications skills base in areas where these skills are in high demand. This will ultimately assist in the development and growth of the South African economy,” he says.
To qualify for the Graduate Development Programme, previously disadvantaged students need to demonstrate a high academic achievement in their studies in the areas that address the critical and scarce skills in the industry sector.
The programme, which launches in February 2009, will initially identify 83 prospective graduates in the fields of engineering, finance, logistics and IT, through a stringent selection process. The selected candidates will complete a compulsory training programme in their area of specialisation, and will then follow a two-year programme under the guidance of mentors and coaches.
Upon completion of the programme, these graduates, who will be offered permanent positions at MTN, will also be equipped with specialist technical and management skills to increase their employability factor.
The Bursary Programme, also launching in February next year, will target 32 of the top high-school leavers who are entering a tertiary institution to further their studies in the fields of engineering and finance. The students will be offered financial assistance towards their studies and will be afforded experiential learning opportunities at MTN during their vacations.
Upon completion of their university studies, the bursary holders will be integrated into the Graduate Development Programme at MTN to continue the learning process in their chosen discipline.
Both programmes will be marketed to prospective students and graduates via targeted media, career fairs and expo’s, and campus and school drives. Students can also apply directly to MTN or on the MTN website.
“We have put a stringent selection process in place to ensure that only the most dedicated students who display academic excellence, are identified for the two programmes. It is time for corporate South Africa to stand up and demonstrate its willingness to develop our youth through practical and tangible initiatives,” he says.
“If companies such as MTN expect to increase productivity, growth and innovation and improve the economy of our country, we need to invest in human intellectual capital and develop sustainable long-term people strategies and solutions. MTN is doing just that,” he concludes.
