Short says that it will be based in KwaZulu-Natal in order to tap into a new reservoir of talent outside of Gauteng.

Sixty percent of the participants will potentially be female and the group aims to triple the intake in 2023 if the pilot project is successful, according to Short.

"To realise the potential of the 4IR, we desperately need a deep pipeline of talent with the right skills. At present they are in short supply, which is the reason we are prepared to invest so heavily in this project," says Short. "Our learning programmes will contribute to addressing the skills gaps in our industry, and 4Sight will become the first place people will turn to learn more about careers, develop new skills and retrain for new positions."

According to the group, the programme has been designed to maximise chances of success. 4Sight says that it has been fortunate to obtain the support of various partners, who have contributed considerably with the following:
  • rigorous recruitment and screening of potential candidates
  • equipment for the training of the participants
  • a discount on the facility where the training will take place, and
  • 12 weeks of technical training.
Given the significant investment, Short says that it's vital that individuals with not only the right cognitive aptitude but also the right fit for 4Sight are identified — hence the extensive assessment and interview process.

After the 12 weeks of technical training, 4Sight will be adding six weeks of specialist training related to technologies relevant to the 4IR, as well as integrated workplace readiness training. Participants will be in two streams: one for functional consultants and one for cloud developers.

According to the group, the training is accredited by the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority.

"What's so often missing from youth training initiatives is the all-important job at the end of it. We believe our guarantee of employment is really something out of the ordinary and is the reason we have been so fortunate to get the participation of such excellent partners. We are so grateful for their support," says Tertius Zitzke, CEO of 4Sight.

Zitzke concludes, "We are delighted to be giving 50 young people this opportunity, but even better will be to see them exploit the opportunity and inspire IT talent for tomorrow."

For more information, visit www.4sight.cloud.com. Individuals can also follow 4Sight Holding on Facebook or on Twitter.