Change the world
Computing Sciences
20/02/2023
In the information economy and the era of the Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR), skills in the vast field of Computing Skills are in short supply. Companies like S4 Integration have had at least 30 vacancies in their software development department that they cannot fill.
To address this need, the Young African Women in Computing (YAWiC) initiative in collaboration with S4 Integration hosted a workshop to educate and inspire Grade 10 and 11 girls on what careers are available in Computing Sciences.
The YAWiC initiative was launched over five years ago by Professor Brenda Scholtz. She attended the workshop with Dr. Anthea van der Hoogen and a few of the department's Honours ladies. The university team shared some of their personal experiences in the Computing Sciences field. The team from S4 consisting of Nomsa Tsotetsi, Kylie van der Merwe, and Meggan Naude, showcased some leading-edge technologies used by S4, such as their collaborative robot (cobot), which are vastly different from large-scale industrial robots, and their Virtual Reality (VR) technology.
With the VR system, learners could interact with a virtual factor floor to design automotive parts. It was also a great opportunity for the school girls to see S4's offices and their assembly workshop.
The feedback from the learners was that they were excited about exploring their unique skills and were inspired and motivated to pursue a career in the in the field of Computing Sciences at Nelson Mandela University.