Telkom subsidiary BCX has launched a R60-million partnership with local incubator, WeThinkCode, a tuition-free programme designed to educate new software engineers. The deal will see the South African incubator expand its Johannesburg-based operations and also launch in Cape Town.
Ian Russell (pictured), CEO of BCX, has said that the company is committed to preparing African businesses to compete in the new digital economy. Russell was quoted by Disrupt Africa as saying:
"We advise our customers that if they don't invest in digitalisation, they should be prepared to be left behind. We're practicing what we preach with this agreement with WeThinkCode. We're gaining first access to the next generation of digital talent in South Africa - the folks that will be behind the next big thing."
BCX will provide R60 million over three years for WeThinkCode to invest in the next generation of talent in the ICT sector. In so doing, WeThinkCode will more than double the number of entry-level coders in the South African market by the end of 2018. As part of the agreement, BCX and other Telkom Group companies will host 40 interns from WeThinkCode's innovative educational programme every year for the next three years.
