SA’s FibreCo upskill unemployed youth to be fibre technicians

South Africa’s independent fibre operator FibreCo Telecommunications has trained 200 fibre technicans to help uplift the level of skills for the maintenance of fibre optic infrastructure in the country. By Staff Writer

The training programme, known as TechTrain and started in 2012, aims to build capacity in the fibre sector and is accredited by the Fibre Optic Association (FOA), whose certification is recognised in the fibre networking industry worldwide.

“These young people are the future leaders within our industry.  We want to motivate you to be go-getters with a will to succeed and hope that TechTrain will put you on the right path to success,” Andile Ngcaba, chairman of FibreCo.

FibreCo, a joint venture between Cell C, Internet Solutions and Convergence Partners, operates South Africa’s largest long-haul fully open access fibre optic network. It already operates a 4000km fibre-optic network route and carrier-grade equipment hosting facilities that interconnect over 50 points of presence countrywide.

The firm plans to have a 12 000km fibre optic network to link major cities and towns across SA. Its network already covers Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London, amongst many others.

The TechTrain programme is designed to ensure students are mentored, exposed to new skills and gain hands-on experience, providing them with a sound foundation to develop their skill-set and experience for future career development.

To date, some 200 technicians have qualified through the programme, resulting in 135 internships and 38 graduates currently appointed on a permanent basis with suppliers and other industry players.

The programme is accredited in South Africa by MICT Seta and internationally by FOA.

“TechTrain creates an environment for young unemployed graduates to strive for excellence and enter the job market with the skills to help the fibre industry become more competitive and provide access to high-speed broadband throughout the country,” said Arif Hussain, CEO FibreCo.