As part of Lenovo’s Global Month of Service, an international grassroots effort that empowers Lenovo’s global network to meet the unique needs of communities where they live and work, Lenovo has partnered with GirlCode. GirlCode is a well-known NPO that specializes in providing previously disadvantaged women with affordable, inclusive digital skills training and development. Since 2014, GirlCode has strived towards empowering young women through various programmes, which include the highly regarded GirlCode Learner-ship and GirlCode online Bootcamp.
As a company that shares a strong synergy with Lenovo’s objective of providing Smarter Technology for All, this partnership further bolsters GirlCode’s learner-ship coding programme (which offers an NQF Level Systems development and Software Development) by offering additional soft skills training to thirty young women (aged 18-23) all of whom are currently completing their training with the organisation.
This soft skills training has and will continue to assist these young women to prepare themselves for the workplace, by giving them in-depth training in these key areas: CV Writing, mock interviews, Email etiquette, Dress Code, Branding, Telephone skills, Microsoft package and Business etiquette. In addition to this, Lenovo has ensured that these women have access to hygiene pads, which will prevent them from missing school and work – as well as access to Lenovo tablets to aid them in sustaining their digital access once the learner-ship is completed.
“At Lenovo Southern Africa, we always strive to give back to the communities in which we work. We love to support them through education and training, as we believe these are the most effective ways to uplift and empower them. It was amazing to see these 30 young women learn to code and we are so happy that we were able to do our bit to help prepare them for the workplace.”
Thibault Dousson, Country General Manager, Lenovo South Africa
While this partnership has been announced during the company’s global month of service, Lenovo commits itself to strong, sustainable partnerships, and will be continuing this journey with GirlCode long-term.
