Absa Group, in collaboration with the Hein Wagner Academy, will be launching South Africa’s first Cybersecurity Academy for the visually impaired. This is the next evolution of the Absa Cybersecurity Academy, which is focused on developing marginalised, unemployed youths in a globally scarce skill.
Accepted students will receive a full scholarship to the Absa Cybersecurity Academy for the Blind based in Worcester, Cape Town, covering all fees, from tuition, specialised learning technologies, accommodation, to food and travel expenses. Each student will also receive a monthly stipend during the two-year programme.
“This programme is part of our effort to expand the net of socio-economic inclusion for bursaries, especially to those living with disabilities who are so often underserved,” says Manoj Puri, Interim Chief Security Officer at Absa.
“It is also aligned with our skills development strategy, which aims to build a scarce and critical capability and we hope that candidates are as excited about the prospects that this programme offers as we are,” he adds.
“We commend Absa for collaborating with us in forwarding our mission to enable those living with visual loss to lead independent lives by providing specialised training that will allow them to integrate into the workforce and reach their full potential,” says Hein Wagner, founder of the Hein Wagner Academy.
“This partnership will result in highly trained cybersecurity specialists. In year one, we give them a strong technical foundation with three international certificates: A+, N+ and S+, over and above a national qualification and a great deal of focus on personal mastery/soft skills. In the second year students learn to code in Python (a gateway to many future opportunities), CCNA DevNet (Agile) and CCNA Cyber Operations, which qualifies them as Cybersecurity Analysts. Their learning is steeped in personal mastery, and ready-to-work programmes.”
Bursary recipients will be selected based on academic performance and financial need. Applicants must satisfy the following entry requirements:
- Applicants must be previously disadvantaged
- Applicants must be sight-impaired (blind / visually impaired)
- Applicants must have Matric or Matric-equivalent certificate and acquired at least 50% in English
- Applicants must be computer literate with typing skills and screen reader experience
- Applicants must be aged 18 to 30
- Applicants must not be part of/previously been selected for a formal learnership/internship programme
- Applicants must be able to relocate to Worcester, Western Cape for the duration of the programme.
Candidates who meet the above-mentioned criteria will then complete a rigorous selection process, after which they will be notified if they have been selected.
Applicants can send their applications (a covering letter, CV and a transcript of their Matric results or highest college qualification) to: [email protected] before 3 September 2021.
Also read: Vodacom debuts special contract data and SMS deals for deaf and hearing impaired customers
