06 November 2008
The South African economy is grappling with the woes of skills shortages, yet the unemployment rate remains very high. A key issue that has been raised a number of times in the past, is that there is disconnect between the skills that are being developed and those needed by business. So where is the middle ground?
According to Mark Oelofse, Business Development Manager at StorTech, the solution lies in providing access to a learning environment. "Education is not just about formal institutions - the key question we should be asking is how do we educate the masses that do not have access to formalised schooling." Oelofse believes that just by having internet access, these individuals are provided an immediate opportunity for growth. He says that research and information is power and unleashing this power, will enable South Africa to grow its knowledge economy. "In sport we see Cricket SA already searching for the next Makhaya Ntini - why are we not out there searching for the next Bill Gates or Tokyo Sexwale?" he asks.
"In most universities there are computer labs, used to train students in development languages," he says. "Once the one class is finished, there is an administrator tasked with the job of getting the computers ready for the next session, whether it requires reinstalling software, deleting specific programmes, etc." Oelofse believes that by implementing the right technology, it will not only allow for much more effective training solutions, but will create a streamlined approach to learning. "Thin clients in a learner environment, means that each user has their own session - literally a blank canvass with access to all the tools that they need - saved to the university server." He cites a case study in the Middle East where thin clients are embedded in desks, giving each student access to a PC at their desk. "The same devices are being used multiple times a day, providing a lot more students the opportunity to learn using technology."
Outside of the formalised education system in the country, Oelofse believes there is huge potential for providing internet access to the masses. "By facilitating the correct partnerships and using shipping containers to host the infrastructure, communities can be provided with thin clients and internet access - a means of giving them access to much more content than ever before," he says. Thin client technology is a robust desktop or mobile unit that is energy efficient and does not host any software or data, making it easy to operate and replace. "We know that cellphones have made tremendous inroads into even the most remote areas within our country, so why not mirror this with internet usage by providing the tools to the communities?" he asks.
Oelofse believes strongly that this could be a key differentiator for companies operating within South Africa. "There is a lot of competition at the top tier, but what is their differentiator? It's not about owning the last mile anymore as everyone has a piece of that pie, so is it price?" asks Oelofse. He believes the differentiator should be offering technology to the masses - truly making inroads in facilitating digital inclusion. "Collaboration between different organisations can go a long way in providing the end-user with connectivity, a unit to work on, the right software, hosted somewhere else to ensure security - a true integrated ICT experience," he says.
Implemented correctly, he believes it will bring a whole new dimension to learning, allowing teacher and learner to interact in new ways and broadening their horizons dramatically. "It would literally catapult them into the world of global connectivity and collaboration, providing them the opportunity to share information, learn and become well-rounded participants in our future economy," he concludes.
About StorTech
StorTech is an adaptive information solutions provider with a proud track record in the South African market. Our experience enables us to offer clients an innovative portfolio of end-to-end data center solutions, underpinned with a unique understanding of the needs of the virtualised enterprise.
Our vision is to assist organisations to Understand, Process, Store, Secure and Manage their information in order to drive business efficiency, mitigate risk and reduce operational costs.
Our technical expertise in data center infrastructures is widely recognised by our clients, and can be attributed to our people. StorTech's multi-skilled professionals leverage our focused strategic vendor alliances and certification to craft solutions that fulfill our clients' business objectives.
All our professionals have expert product knowledge, a focused skills set and an understanding of business and legislative requirements relating to information management and network computing skills. StorTech is able to service clients from our offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, and service centers in Port Elizabeth and Durban.
Contacts:
Stortech
Rita Pienaar 011 808 6000
rpienaar@stortech.co.za
Fleishman-Hillard
Lizelle Christison 011 548 2010
lizelle.christison@fleishman.co.za