Over a hundred students successfully complete Telkom Foundation's Coding and Robotics training program.
In the heart of Mpumalanga, a transformative initiative is underway, aimed at preparing young learners for the digital age. The Telkom Foundation's Coding & Robotics Programme, launched in 2022, is a three-year endeavour designed to equip students with digital literacy, coding, robotics, business, and soft skills.
The programme, certified by both IBM and IC3, runs during school holidays and integrates technical and entrepreneurial skills to prepare students for meaningful economic participation in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Its goal is to empower youth with critical digital skills, bridge the digital divide, enhance employability, and support future sustainability.
The impact of this programme has been significant. Over the past three years, 115 learners have graduated, marking a significant step forward in improving digital literacy and employability prospects for youth in Mpumalanga. The graduation ceremony, held at Ermelo Inn, coincided with South Africa's Youth Month 2023, which carried the theme 'Skills for a Changing World - Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation.'
Judy Vilakazi, Executive: Corporate Social Responsibility at Telkom Foundation, congratulated the graduates and looked forward to more students participating in the programme. She emphasised the importance of digital readiness for young people, including technical know-how and critical thinking skills.
In line with its commitment to bridging the digital divide and fostering inclusivity, the Telkom Foundation is also upgrading school infrastructure with custom-built coding and robotics labs. This initiative reflects a broader commitment to equip young people with digital literacy and employability skills, ensuring that all students, regardless of socio-economic status, have access to quality education aligned with 21st-century skills.
As the world continues to evolve, driven by technology and artificial intelligence, the Telkom Foundation's Coding & Robotics Programme is preparing Mpumalanga's future generations for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. By fostering digital readiness, bridging the digital divide, and equipping students with the skills they need to succeed, the programme is truly empowering Mpumalanga's youth for meaningful economic participation in a technology-driven world.
- The Telkom Foundation's Coding & Robotics Programme, which runs during school holidays, integrates technical and entrepreneurial skills to prepare students for meaningful economic participation in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, focusing on areas such as education-and-self-development, personal-growth, and learning.
- Recognizing the significance of digital readiness for young people, Judy Vilakazi, Executive: Corporate Social Responsibility at Telkom Foundation, emphasized the importance of not only technical know-how but also critical thinking skills, aiming to enable youth to bridge the digital divide and enhance their employability prospects.
- Beyond the coding and robotics programme, Telkom Foundation is upgrading school infrastructure to include custom-built labs, ensuring that all students, regardless of socio-economic status, have access to quality education that promotes 21st-century skills like infrastructure and learning, thereby bridging the digital divide and fostering inclusivity in Mpumalanga's education system.
