New Podcast - Promoting empowerment in South Africa: HP and B-BBEE initiatves - CSR in Europe, Middle East and Africa -
CSR in Europe, Middle East and Africa » New Podcast - Promoting empowerment in South Africa: HP and B-BBEE initiatves
New Podcast - Promoting empowerment in South Africa: HP and B-BBEE initiatves
In the November edition of our HP Global Citizenship Bulletin we reported about HP South Africa’s commitment to the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Code of Good Practice. To learn more about B-BEEE and how HP South Africa is supporting it, you can now listen to our new HP Podcast with Thoko Mokgosi-Mwantembe, CEO of HP South Africa.

Thoko speaks about the launch of the HP Business Institute (HPBI) which has resulted in HP South Africa achieving the second highest level of compliance with the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice.

The aim of the academy is to help small and medium businesses (SMB) in the IT sector grow by increasing the pool of IT talent in South Africa’s majority black community. On the one hand, HPBI supports existing employees in the IT sector in developing the skills that they need to grow their companies. On the other hand the academy also trains graduates in one year learnerships where they acquire specialist IT skills and an HP certification. Up to 300 students will be placed in short term skills programmes and one year traineeships each year. The first group of HPBI students will start their studies next month.

The shortage of IT skills is a strong barrier to development in South Africa. The Institute is part of HP’s commitment to a growth strategy that targets inequality in the South African economy. HP’s total investment in B-BBEE initiatives to date amounts to over €15 million.

Ulrike Haug, HP CSR Communications

 

Posted 01-21-2008 9:49 AM by BlogArchive
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