Computer training upskills youth

GEORGE NEWS - Local youth are more employable and businesses more savvy following a joint initiative by the George Municipality Youth Café and non-profit organisation Suff (Southern Youth Film Festival) Academy and other stakeholders, who gave free training programmes recently.

The George Youth Café also held their first Digital Skills graduation ceremony with the class of 2018.

"With a total of 120 graduates this was truly an achievement for the George Youth Café tackling the issue of computer literacy in George. This programme focused on unemployed as well as disabled youth," said Bradley Windwaai, acting marketing manager of Suff. The Digital Literacy programme is a two-week programme for unemployed youth aged between 18 and 35, with 20 participants per intake. "This programme teaches the youth from the basics, how to switch on a computer, to mastering Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel. These skills are a minimum requirement in the work environment, which makes unemployed youth more employable," said Windwaai.

In the second part of the course, Digital Identity Management, youth are taught the basic computer skills and to understand digital identity and the safeguarding of one's information. The basic training takes two weeks to complete. The third part is mobile technology training for SMEs, a one-week course. "This programme is designed to teach local entrepreneurs and businesses how to market and manage their business from their phone, as well as how to manage and maintain the digital identity of their business."

For more information contact the George Youth Café on 044 873 5272 or e-mail annique@suff.co.za.

You may also visit the Youth Café at the George Old Market Theatre, corner of Market Street and Market Lane. The operating hours are Mondays to Fridays from 09:00 to 17:00.

Trainers with the group who received a certificate for Digital Literacy. At the back of the graduates are Jason Fortuin, Adrie Strydom, dr Leona Croffet, Nozipho Sihlahla, Cllr Sean Snyman and Elrico Van Rooyen the first class of Digital Literacy 2018.