The MOA signing ceremony and the official launch of the SIC programme took place recently at Coastlands Musgrave Hotel and in attendance were some key dignitaries and partners that included Samsung’s Public Affairs team; Nhlakanipho Nkontwana – the head of department (HOD) for the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA); as well as Prof Pfano Mashau – the director of Durban University of Technology (DUT) Business School along with the members of the institution’s leadership team.

Recent data from Statistics South Africa has shown that youth unemployment in South Africa stands at over 46% among people aged 15 to 34. Yet, the technology sector is struggling to find talent. Also, a comprehensive 2024/2025 research report titled: “Decoding ICT Demand”, conducted by The Collective X – has revealed that over 118,000 digital and ICT jobs in South Africa remain unfilled, including thousands of entry-level roles suitable for young professionals starting their careers and this, is a clear indication of a skills gap in the country.

The SIC programme, hosted within the DUT Business School, aims to upskill 60 young people in fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies by providing training in high-demand fields, including coding and programming (C&P) in Python, as well as artificial intelligence (AI). Importantly, this programme will now also enable DUT students to move beyond job seeking and become entrepreneurs in technology – capable of developing AI-driven projects and solving real-world problems.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Lefa Makgato, CSR Manager for Samsung South Africa outlined how over the next three years, Samsung will be investing a significant amount annually to support this initiative, ensuring that the SIC programme is not just a training programme but an investment in South Africa’s digital future. For Samsung, this strategic collaboration with both DUT and the KZN government is rooted in a shared belief that education, technology and teamwork are key to building a more inclusive society.”

She also emphasised the need for this SIC programme to bridge the divide between academic learning and industry requirements, ensuring graduates possess the practical skills needed to secure jobs in the tech sector. Ultimately, by fostering, digital literacy and job creation – the collaboration between these strategic partners as well as Samsung’s objectives – align with the country’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2030. 

The DUT curriculum which fits perfectly with the objectives of the SIC programme – also aims to teach students important soft skills that include communication, critical thinking, problem solving and the ability to collaborate with others. This SIC programme is not only equipping students with vital skills that are required in work environments, but also those that will help them solve real world challenges.

And, according to DUT – with the advent of 4IR, society has become more connected than ever, thereby increasing the need for graduates with varied skills to drive technological innovations that address societal and industrial challenges. DUT’s inspiring launch has therefore managed to bring together industry and academia to unlock opportunities, accelerate digital skills and shape the next generation of leaders.

Prof Pfano Mashau (DUT) emphasized: “As DUT, we know that our role in this collaboration is to ensure that our curriculum equips our young people with skills that will help them to become employable. We are therefore very grateful to Samsung for this partnership that is allowing us to contribute to the skills development of our young people in KZN. We hope that at the end of this SIC programme, our unemployed graduates will use the in-demand skills they acquire from this initiative – to start their own businesses as well as empower themselves even further.”

This newly formed Public–Private Partnership (PPP) is now acting as a catalyst for youth empowerment – highlighting how successful collaborations such as the one between DUT, government and the private sector can help address youth unemployment and skills shortages in the country.

The partners along with their government counterparts believe that this SIC programme is not only nurturing technology skills, but it is also developing a generation of technological innovators and problem solvers. The beneficiaries from this programme carry a great responsibility as they are not merely beneficiaries, but also pioneers that will shape how technology serves communities; now into the future.

Nhlakanipho Nkontwana – HOD for the KwaZulu-Natal EDTEA explained: “The launch was more than a ceremony, it represented a moment to re-imagine education in an era defined by rapid technological advancement, particularly the rise of AI. These days, he added, AI is allowing us the opportunity to not only equip students with qualifications, but also with adaptable future building competencies.

“Importantly, partnerships such as the one we are celebrating between Samsung Africa and DUT Business School are essential in achieving the country’s educational goals. This collaboration is both timely and strategic – it brings together academic excellence and industry expertise; creating a bridge between theory and practices as well as a link between lecture halls and the real world. Through this partnership, students will not only gain exposure to cutting-edge technologies but also develop the practical skills required to navigate and shape the digital economy, ” concluded Nkontwana.

• Source: Stats SA Report, Link – https://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=14415
• Source: Decoding ICT Demand”, conducted by The Collective X – Link – https://www.thecollectivex.org/revealed-the-digital-jobs-south-africa-needs-most-right-now/

Mandisa Shiceka High School, from Krugersdorp in Gauteng, took the honours after beating nine fellow finalists to be crowned the winners of the latest edition of the competition. In second place was Mbilwi Secondary School from Venda (Limpopo), who took first prize last year, while Adam’s College from Amanzimtoti (KwaZulu-Natal) rounded off the top three.

Run in partnership with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), Solve for Tomorrow gives Grade 10 and 11 learners from underserved communities a unique opportunity to learn, and apply themselves as they solve some of the challenges in their communities through the practical application of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). In this process and as intended by the competition, the learners get the level of exposure that shows them their areas of interest, while also gaining invaluable experience and skills that help harness their path toward a career in the STEM fields.

As the overall winner, Mandisa Shiceka was awarded a R100 000 cash prize, while second-placed, Mbilwi Secondary received R50 000, and Adam’s College got R30 000 for third place. All the cash prizes will go towards purchasing STEM equipment for each school, according to their various unique needs. Samsung placed the cherry on top by rewarding each learner from the top three teams with a new Samsung Galaxy device.

The participating schools identify problems within their communities and use STEM to solve them by conducting research and developing prototypes. Samsung further enabled the schools with resources and mentors to guide them through the process.

To emerge victorious, the learners of Mandisa developed an automated hydroponic structure that grows food without using soil. They identified food security as the main challenge because their township, Kagiso, predominently a mining environment, which affects the quality of the soil, air and water (resources necessary for growing healthy food). To mitigate this, their innovative system would use greenhouses as well as rain water and boreholes as their source of water. “We came into the competition with a strong belief that we would win because we believe in our idea as a great solution – that’s the attitude that the entire team carried until the end. We’d love to thank Samsung for the opportunity to improve our community and learn some valuable skills,” said Makhosazana Mazibuko, team member and grade 10 learner.

Their educator, Nonki Motlogelwa, who also helped guide them in their project said, “When we entered, the excitement of winning this competition was high from all the learners. Even though they started feeling the pressure as soon as the work began, they always had faith in themselves and that pushed them through. We are proud especially because we won at our first attempt. I am so excited for the learners, they have shown so much courage, creativity and teamwork that I am sure they are heading in the right direction. Overall, the experience was amazing and thought provoking.”

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Minister Mhaule said, “Well done to Samsung for recognising a gap and walking the talk by working to fill it with this initiative. Their efforts and commitment to contributing towards educating our youth are highly commendable. It’s easier to stand by and criticise but with such a programme, Samsung is showing that doing will always be better than talking. Every learner and school that participated in the Solve for Tomorrow competition is a winner, simply for getting up and doing something, to solve problems in their community and also skill themselves and prepare for the future. This initiative is not just a competition; it is a beacon of what social responsibility should be.”

Solve for Tomorrow is one of Samsung’s corporate social investment initiatives and an ambitious effort to increase interest and proficiency in STEM, and help the country contribute to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Innovative thinking, creative problem-solving, and teamwork form part of what the competition seeks to encourage among the learners as they learn important skills that could benefit them in their future careers.

Lenhle Khoza, Manager for BBBEE & Transformation at Samsung highlighted the importance of corporates supporting the youth with such platforms that could be a catalyst for their futures and the country’s destiny. “Since its launch in 2023, Solve for Tomorrow has grown into an annual creative thinking playground for underprivileged high school learners. The youth is key to Africa’s development potential and it is our ambition as a business to spread the competition to more countries on the continent for transformative ways to solve societal issues through STEM initiatives like these. Now more than ever, we need to guide young learners on the value of STEM skills to solve the greatest issues impacting our communities. Samsung is a firm believer in the power of education to drive positive change and we remain committed to unlocking the potential of Africa’s abundant resource, the youth,” said Khoza.

Samsung recently celebrated the increase in female representation, a perfectly balanced 50/50 gender split in the second cohort of students that graduated from the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) programme in partnership with Central University of Technology (CUT).

For Samsung, measurable impact which includes female representation has always been at the centre of Samsung’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Samsung’s report that is focusing on evaluating the effectiveness of its CSR initiatives in South Africa, has confirmed that its SIC programme has managed to provide students in various tertiary institutions including CUT – with critical skills that are relevant to the local economy, essentially grooming candidates to become fit for employment^*.

The electronics giant has gone a step further and had genuine conversations with five female beneficiaries out of the group of 26 students that graduated in the second cohort of the CUT-SIC programme, in an effort to ascertain its impact on their lives, both personally and career wise. These female students confirmed what is in the Samsung report and attested to the fact that the CUT-SIC programme has indeed enhanced their knowledge of coding, programming and AI. Also, they elaborated on how this experience has broadened their minds, increased their skills relevance and facilitated the opportunity to even start their own businesses^*.

Below is what this group of enthusiastic graduates had to say when they were given an opportunity to share their experience in the CUT-SIC programme:

Divine Ripfumelo Mhlongo who hails from Polokwane in Limpopo – is a third year Computer Networking student at CUT that is located in the Free State. She secured a place into the SIC programme after passing the selection test. Mhlongo said that was the beginning of her journey and it has been nothing but amazing.

“I have now learnt a new programming language and I’ve had an opportunity to dive deep into AI and machine learning, which I have been curious about for a very long time. My life was focused on Computer Networking because it is all I knew and I wanted to start my career in that field. However, when I was part of the SIC programme – I started to understand how big the technology world is and loved the idea of venturing into something new. I’ve also gained some much needed, advanced problem-solving skills.”

Mhlongo is now convinced that her life has changed for the better since joining this programme. Combined with her keen dedication for learning, she feels that she has learnt a lot of things which include skills in Python, AI and Machine Learning. Also, she believes that there are more job opportunities that she can now venture into.

Originally from Kroonstad, Victoria Nthabiseng Nketu – a postgraduate masters’ student in information technology at CUT that is focusing on AI – saw the SIC programme advertised. She registered, wrote an entry test and was accepted. Before the SIC programme, she said that she had little knowledge about Python but has now acquired knowledge about this high-level programming language as well as how and where to apply it.

She added: “The programme has helped me a lot in my studies as I have now applied some of the skills I have learnt from SIC to my system – Natural Processing Language. Also, as a Masters’ student with AI as my main topic – this programme has definitely made my academic life easier. As much as I’m required to read articles to research about my topic, the SIC programme has taught me how to apply the knowledge I’ve gained into the system that I’m developing.”

Also, Nketu believes that with AI experts needed globally, there are now many job opportunities, as the world is slowly but surely changing into using AI systems in everyday life.  She is therefore advising young people to invest in skills such as Python as it is the common language used in AI, so that they can have more opportunities in the industry. She is convinced that with these kinds of skills, our youth will also be able to open their own businesses and make an impact in the world.

Another passionate, final year Computer Networking student at CUT – Lenechia Cloete from Namaqualand Steinkopf, said that she heard about the SIC programme through her University. Like others, she applied and wrote a selection test that she passed and was then chosen to be one of the 26 students to take part in the SIC programme.

Cloete explained: “Before joining the SIC programme, I was very passionate about technology but I lacked practical experience and confidence in my coding abilities. The programme has taught me valuable skills, particularly in Python. I also developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills and this has been quite valuable. After completing the first part of the SIC programme, which focuses mainly on programming, I now feel much more prepared for the job market.”

Also, Cloete is of the view that her coding skills have improved significantly and that she now has a better understanding of how to apply them in a professional setting. Importantly, she also noted proudly that she has spoken to two companies about her internship opportunities for when she graduates and after telling them about the SIC programme, she received some very positive feedback. She believes that this is a direct result of the skills and confidence she gained through the programme.

Cloete is also encouraging youth to not be afraid to take the leap into the technology field as it is the future. She is of the opinion that technology is an ever-growing field with endless possibilities and that programmes like SIC will provide a lot of youth with knowledge to succeed and tools to make the possibilities of job opportunities even better. She added: “Thanks to the SIC programme, I now feel more equipped to pursue a successful career in networking.”

Maneo Ntseliseng Ramahlosi who is born and bred in Maseru, Lesotho is now busy with final touches on her Masters’ dissertation. After applying for the programme, she made it as one of the 26 successful candidates that passed the entry test into CUT-SIC. Before the SIC programme, she said: “I was not much of a programmer. I have now gained confidence with my programming skills as well as the use of AI.

“In all honesty, as much as my life has not significantly changed after the completion of the SIC programme, because I was still focused on 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.

And lastly, Lerato Motsabi from Thaba-Nchu who is currently residing in Bloemfontein is another final-year student studying Information Technology. She became part of the SIC programme after her INT lecturer posted about it – she filled out the forms, passed a selection test in February this year and secured her spot. Before the SIC programme, she said that she was too focused on her studies but did not have much exposure in the tech industry. The SIC programme  has therefore taught her some specific skills such as Programming, Software Development and Python.

Also, Motsabi emphasized: “The SIC programme has sharpened my innovative thinking skills and has given me a broader understanding of the tech field and its applications. Life after the programme has definitely been great! I feel more confident in my abilities and I have a clearer direction for my future.”

She is urging students considering joining these kinds of programmes or pursuing a career in tech to go for it! She concluded by saying: “The SIC programme is an amazing opportunity to learn, grow and network. It could change anyone’s life like it has mine. So, don’t be afraid to take the leap – apply and join the world of technological innovators.”