The partnership will prepare graduates to embrace the digital face of the future.
South African EdTech provider, HyperionDev has partnered with the University of South Africa to launch a three-month computer science bootcamp.
With half of all work tasks expected to be handled by tech-enabled machines by 2025, it’s essential that graduates are ready to embrace the digital face of the future. This can be done by bridging the gap between the skills that the tech industry requires and the calibre of job seekers on offer.
HyperionDev CEO, Riaz Moola said, “We are offering a programme that helps students to study through our online bootcamp format of learning as well as achieve a recognised accreditation from a tertiary institution, with the option to go further and complete a three-year computer science degree.”
Bootcamps can be viewed as alternative credentials, he added. “They are a fast-paced career accelerator that can quickly land participants a job as a software developer or data scientist, rather than a traditional university degree which takes years to complete.”
But despite the novelty of the partnership with Unisa, Riaz maintained that the qualification won’t rival a university degree: “We’re not trying to replace universities,” he concedes. “We’re working with tertiary institutions to launch new courses that will help them support students, so there will always be a place for the traditional university model.”
Education systems are evolving in a digital age
It is becoming more important than ever for universities to invest in online education platforms, he explained. “Covid-19 has changed the way that universities view learning by accelerating the move to offer students the opportunity to study remotely. As a result, the world is now at the stage of online learning that was predicted to only have been reached in 2030.”
This has positively propelled the outlook for the EdTech sector, with a global market value at almost $90 million, which is estimated to grow at 20 percent a year over the next seven years.
With 10 percent of professions expected to disappear and be replaced by artificial intelligence by 2030, there has never been a better time for students and professionals alike to invest in enhancing their digital skills.
“However, partnerships such as these are vital to ensure every South African who wishes to future-proof their career has many options and opportunities that are accessible and beneficial to all,” concluded Riaz.
