Our Approach

South Africa’s unemployment rate is nearly 27% and education and training are critical to the continued growth of the country and the eradication of poverty. The country faces a skills shortage, worsened by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and fast-paced change. In addition, there is a battle for the skilled and the capable as organisations wrestle for the right people.

One of the challenges in the ITC sector is that quite often people enter the industry via a non-technical route. They could have come via a Call Centre, as a PA or Admin staff, even on the Compliance side. They may or may not have a formal tertiary certification or degree, or they may have completed 1 or 2 years at University studying one of the ‘soft’ sciences – such as Human Resources, Marketing, or Accountancy. With the ITC industry’s reputation for fair employment and the perception of higher salaries, ITC companies have been targeted as ‘dream companies to work for’. Not the least of these perceptions is that ITC companies are known for investing in their people, and that these are organisations where one can plan a career.

If they secure a position in this sector, as, say, a sales or admin person, the knowledge, jargon and acronyms are hard to pick up and really understand. This can prevent personal progress and career building. Companies always hope they will attract the right talent and want to be seen as an employer of choice.

Good training, where understanding is delivered in easy to understand formats, by professional trainers, provides employees with international certifications and recognition, and is the ‘gift that keeps on giving’ back to the company. Highly trained sales and management employees, for example, will show increased performance and team leadership. Refresher courses in this dynamic industry are essential, especially in technical staff.

When a company includes its products and services into the training, many employees, especially sales, marketing, purchasing, accounting and compliance staff have a ‘light bulb’ moment when suddenly everything clicks into place. It boosts ego, creates opportunities, and “makes my job so much easier”.

SBI delivers not only standard training, but courses customised to the company’s products and services; courses that are designs for specific strategic company objectives; courses that range from highly advanced and with technical content, to administrative levels.