Telkom Foundation showcases ICT career opportunities
Telkom, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, today welcomed learners from across Mthatha in the Eastern Cape to take part in the annual Information and communications Technology (ICT) Career Expo.
The ICT Careers Expo 2012 is one of the initiatives that the Telkom Foundation, the corporate social investment arm of the Telkom Group, is undertaking to broaden the horizons of young people and empower and inspire them to make use of the many career-building opportunities available in ICT.
1200 Learners in grade ten from the Qumbu; Mount Frere, Dutywa, Ngcobo and Libode districts attended the Expo held at the Walter Sisulu University in Mthatha.
The students were treated to numerous exhibitions focusing on the importance of ICT and educating learners on the importance of Mathematics and Science as the building blocks for careers in ICT.
Addressing students at the Expo, Head of the Telkom Foundation, Ms Sarah Mthintso said, "Telkom witnesses the power of ICT every day. We know it can make a telling contribution to transform our country and indeed the continent in many different ways. We want you to discover the world of ICT and understand more about its many possibilities."
Ms Mthintso highlighted to learners that mathematics and science are the core building blocks of success in the ICT sector. "You must have a solid grounding in Mathematics and science to be a part of this fast growing sector," she advised learners.
For some years now, the Telkom Foundation has worked side by side with partners in government and non-governmental organisations to help improve our country's education system.
The learners were also addressed by Deputy Minister of Communications, Ms Stella Ndabeni and Adv. Manya, HOD of the Eastern Cape Provincial Basic Education Department.
An ICT Career Expo will also be held on 21 April at the University of Zululand. Altogether, more than 40 schools from disadvantaged parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape are benefiting from this Careers Expos. The provincial departments of Education are also supporting this event, as are various prominent ICT companies and Telkom suppliers.
Ms Mthintso prompted students to consider the possibilities for South Africa if their generation would be the ones to overcome the country's skills crises. "Imagine what our country would be able to achieve if we can get this right?" she questioned.
"I call on you to master maths and science and involve yourselves in the world of ICT. If you do, you will equip yourself to excel in the workplace of tomorrow and you will transform yourself into a very valuable member of team South Africa," concluded Ms Mthintso.
For further enquiries, please contact:
PYNEE CHETTY
Senior Specialist: Media Relations
Tel.: (012) 311-5247
Cell: 081 389 7874
Email: chettpr2@telkom.co.za
or
LEIGH-ANN FRANCIS
Specialist: Media Relations
Tel.: (012) 311-7114
Cell: 081 391 4780
Email: francilm@telkom.co.za
About Telkom
Telkom is a leading communications services provider in South Africa and on the African continent. We had consolidated normalised operating revenue from continuing operations of R33.4 billion and normalised profit for the year from continuing operations of R2.4 billion for the year ended 31 March 2011. Total assets from continuing operations amounted to R54.3 billion and equity attributable to the owners of Telkom to R29.6 billion as of 31 March 2011. The group generated normalised free cash flow of R3.5 billion for the year ended 31 March 2011.
As of 31 March 2011, we had approximately 4.2 million telephone access lines in service and 99.9% of our telephone access lines were connected to digital exchanges. We offer business, residential and payphone customers a wide range of services and products, including:
- fixed-line subscription and connection services to post-paid, prepaid and private payphone customers using PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) lines, including ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) lines, and the sale of the subscription based value-added voice services and customer premises equipment rental and sales;
- fixed-line traffic services to post-paid, prepaid, and payphone customers, including local, long distance, fixed-to-mobile, international outgoing and international voice-over-internet protocol traffic services;
- interconnection services, including terminating and transiting traffic from South African mobile operators, as well as from international operators and transiting traffic from mobile to international destinations;
- fixed-line data centre operations and internet services,including domestic and international data transmission services, such as point-to-point leased lines, ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) services, packet-based services, managed data networking services and internet access and related information technology services;
- e-commerceincluding internet access service provider, application service provider, hosting, data storage, e-mail and security services;
- W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), a 3G next generation network, including fixed voice services, data services and nomadic voice services;
- mobile communication services, including voice services, data services and handset sales through its mobile brand called 8•ta; and
- other services including directory services, through Trudon (Proprietary) Limited, wireless data services, through Swiftnet (Proprietary) Limited and internet services outside South Africa, through iWayAfrica Group (integration of Africa Online Limited and MWEB Africa Limited).