The University of Johannesburg (UJ) and multinational professional services company Accenture have collaborated to establish a skills development project in under-resourced communities.

The project, known as the Advanced Technology Centre, is located in Devland, Soweto, south of Johannesburg, where a modern facility is being built in Extension 1 of the township.

The property and buildings are to be used for the establishment of a centre for the advancement of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics for the benefit of the youth and the community.

The project will also offer support in related fields that include, but are not limited to, adult education, with the involvement of other stakeholders who support and promote the aforementioned objectives.

The collaboration is inspired by the fact that both UJ and Accenture have aspirational goals and a vision for addressing unemployment, imparting digital skills of the future and contributing towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in South Africa.

The project is also part of UJ and Accenture’s drive to develop an innovative business model and new ways of working for the skills required for Africa’s digital acceleration.

UJ and Accenture plan to train 130 youth in 2021. This is expected to increase to 300 by 2024.

Upon completion of the relevant course with UJ and the Advanced Youth Centre, the graduates will have the opportunity for placement with Accenture’s partners or client networks.

“As one of the country’s digital accelerators, we are witnessing a resurgence in demand for custom, bespoke digital skills within larger enterprises. This demand places an additional strain on the country's already limited pool of qualified and experienced professionals, whom Accenture also needs for its own projects with clients.

"It’s vital that we develop adaptable and transferable skills that prepare youth for the dynamic workplace of the future and remain applicable as jobs and industries evolve,” says Accenture Africa CEO Vukani Mngxati.

UJ vice-chancellor and principal Professor Tshilidzi Marwala says the project is deeply rooted in the university’s drive to address the country’s economic inequalities and to bridge the gap in digital technologies, as underpinned by agility in the 4IR space.