The SA BRICS Business Council is looking for South Africa’s best up-and-coming tech talent to represent the country in the BRICS Future Skills Challenge. This year’s future skills Olympics will help solve problems that the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries face around energy, water and health.
This major event is being hosted in person and virtually by South Africa in Johannesburg from 12 – 15 September 2023 and hundreds of competitors are expected. One-hundred-and-twenty South African participants are sought and their travel expenses will be covered. Those selected to participate will solve real-world problems in their specific skill area, supported by subject experts.
Students at universities and TVET colleges and professionals aged between 16 and 35 are eligible to apply. The selected South Africans will compete against young people from the other BRICS countries. Individuals and teams can enter.
Founder of TechWays and project lead at BRICS Future Skills, Joanne Brink, explains: “The benefits of participating in the BRICS Future Skills Challenge extend beyond recognition as one of SA’s top tech minds. If you are selected, you will receive training and exposure to real-world case studies. You’ll receive a certificate, international experience to add to your CV and an opportunity to benchmark your skills at a global level. Those who perform well in the competition will be introduced to employers and will be recognised as one of the top South Africans in their field.”
Brink adds, “The competition will also help clarify where there is a skills deficit and where South Africa should be concentrating its efforts to ensure we build a pipeline of future tech skills.”
Training will be provided for all competitors under the guidance of experts. This will take place on Saturdays in August via webinar.
There are several skills categories in which South Africans will compete:
- Aircraft maintenance
- Agri IoT
- Building information modelling
- Cyber security
- Data science
- Digital twin
- Drones
- Internet marketing
- Manufacturing robotics
- Mobile app development
- Renewable energy
- Robotic process automation
The BRICS Business Council Skills Development Working Group has several objectives to support the ambitions of increased trade between BRICS. The BRICS Skills Challenge ensures cooperation in the development of future skills that will facilitate economic growth. It also aims to raise skills standards and create a standard qualification framework with appropriate curricula.
Applications close on June 20. www.bricsfutureskills.co.za
