Intelligent CIO Africa Issue 73 | Page 76

FINAL WORD
Alison Palmer , Head of HR at Dariel Software inception in 2014 , the annual programme has already given rise to more than 80 talented and passionate engineers .
Through DEAP , Dariel has enhanced the traditional graduate programme as we know it . Recruitment to join DEAP entails a rigorous niche selection process from thousands of applicants across the top tertiary institutions in the country . Of those , offers are extended to the top candidates .
These individuals are immersed in a dynamic environment that provides extensive exposure to a client project , practical training and one-on-one mentoring while a team of advanced software engineers support their learning . Such is the intensity of DEAP , that graduates reach an intermediate software engineering level within 18 months .
The secret sauce behind this success is focusing on giving graduates the practical knowledge essential to be relevant in a digitally driven job environment . It takes the theoretical foundation provided by tertiary institutions and enhances it with an intensity designed to encourage and promote learning and skills acquisition .
Narrow the gap , widen opportunities
Closing the skills gap requires an array of approaches , from formal and informal mentoring and exposure to real and live projects to training and certification .
The road to managing skills development , job creation and bridging the gap from university to the world of work is fraught with obstacles . Fresh prospects , like Dariel ’ s DEAP programme , afford talented software engineers an opportunity to overcome these challenges with broadening scope and exposure in a safe environment , to operate within a digitised , automated world . p
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