Samsung and Central University of Technology Celebrate Graduation of Youth in 4IR Programme

Samsung and the Central University of Technology (CUT) celebrated a significant milestone on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, as two cohorts of students in the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) programme proudly graduated at the CUT’s Bloemfontein campus. Amongst the graduates are 20 students from the first cohort who completed Coding & Programming in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 26 students from the second cohort who completed Coding & Programming in Python. This milestone marks a continuation of the impactful partnership between Samsung and CUT, which began with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in November 2022.

The SIC programme, part of Samsung’s global corporate social investment initiatives, is designed to equip students with essential Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills. It primarily targets university students, recent graduates, and young professionals who are looking to enhance their technical skills and knowledge. The 46 graduates completed a rigorous curriculum combining theoretical learning and practical application, encompassing the cutting-edge area of Coding & Programming.

“As Samsung, we are thrilled that this initiative, while in its infancy, is showing great signs of yielding positive fruits that will have a long-lasting effect on the lives of the youth, the country’s fortunes and its capacity to be competitive on the global stage. The completion of this programme by these two cohorts underscores our commitment to fostering technological excellence and innovation. By empowering CUT students with 4IR skills, we are not only contributing to their individual growth but also to the broader technological advancement of South Africa,” said Lenhle Khoza, Manager: BBBEE and Transformation at Samsung.

The central goal of the SIC programme is to address the need for work-ready and employable graduates in technology, and also give youth from underserved communities access to these crucial skills. By providing students with advanced technical skills, the SIC prepares them for the rapidly evolving technology landscape while creating new opportunities for personal and professional growth.

One of the graduates, Maneo Ntseliseng Ramahlosi, who was born and bred in Maseru, Lesotho said she was not much of a programmer but has now gained confidence with her programming skills as well as the use of AI. “After completing the SIC programme, which happened as I was still completing my Masters. I have now gained an interest in the use and application of AI in our daily lives. The skills I acquired from the course have made me a better contender amongst my peers. Because of this, I would now advise and encourage anyone who has the opportunity to be part of the SIC programme – to grab this wonderful opportunity without hesitation,” added Ramahlosi.

Professor Muthoni Masinde, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology at CUT, remarked, “We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of the two cohorts of graduates from the Samsung Innovation Campus. This partnership has proven to be transformative, equipping our students with the skills necessary to thrive in today’s digital economy. We are proud to see our graduates step into the future as technologically adept leaders. Being able to plough back into the local community is great and we’re fortunate to be part of the programme and thankful to Samsung for it.”