Financial services firm Absa Group and visual impaired economic empowerment organisation Hein Wagner Academy will launch South Africa's first cybersecurity academy for the visually impaired. 

It will represent the next evolution of the Absa Cybersecurity Academy, which is focused on providing training to marginalised, unemployed youths in a globally scarce skill.

Accepted students will receive a full scholarship to the Absa Cybersecurity Academy for the Blind, 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 socioeconomic inclusion for bursaries, especially to those living with disabilities who are often underserved. 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,” says Absa interim chief security officer Manoj Puri.

“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 or soft skills,” says Hein Wagner Academy founder Hein Wagner.

“In the second year, students learn to code in Python, which is 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,” he says.

Bursary recipients will be selected based on academic performance and financial need. Applicants must by previously disadvantaged, sight-impaired, meaning blind or visually impaired, have a matric or matric-equivalent certificate and acquired at least 50% in English, and applicants must be computer literate with typing skills and screen reader experience.

Further, applicants must be aged 18 to 30 and not be part of or have previously been selected for a formal learnership or internship programme. Applicants must be able to relocate to Worcester for the duration of the programme.

Applicants can send their applications, including a cover letter, curriculum vitae and a transcript of their matric results or highest college qualification, to training@heinwagneracademy.org before September 3.

“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 Wagner.