HCL is bringing its TechBee early career programme to NZ in an effort to help close the country’s IT skill gap.
University students and recent school leavers in New Zealand will be given the opportunity to fast track a career in IT with an extensive funding and training program. The programme will cover areas of training around cybersecurity, coding, data analytics and AI, all of which are skills currently required in the NZ market.
The initiative comes on top of the recent announcement by Minister for Digital Economy and Communications David Clark, who said NZ would develop its first digital strategy since 2005.
The strategy states that over the past five years, it is estimated the NZ tech sector has grown 30% faster than the economy. This highlights the fact that the sector needs a significant number of suitably educated and trained people to sustain its growth.
Candidates who express interest in signing up for the TechBee programme undergo three months of foundation training on IT essentials, business ethics and communication. Students are paid $2500 per month for nine months of training, and if they are studying at university, there can be additional financial support for this.
Once candidates have completed their foundation training, they have the option to continue with HCLs client locations on-site as an intern for nine months with job-based training. The students are required to spend at least 20 weeks on-site and will receive the funding during that period.
HCL joins other large industry companies that have globally recognised learning and development programs for internal growth. There are particularly common similarities with IT companies such as Microsoft and DELL, which are also training their workforce internally.
These programs can then be recognised as micro-credentials and recognition of prior learning at NZ universities, offering better incentives and outcomes.
HCL Technologies EVP and country head A/NZ Michael Horton says the program stands out from the crowd and offers great prospects for the future of the NZ IT industry.
"The TechBee program offers students global opportunities, training by industry leaders and opens the path for exciting jobs of the future, exposure to global customers and technology problems. It truly is the first of its kind in Australia and globally."
The company is valued at AUD$11.18 billion and was founded in India. They have prominent strongholds in Australia and New Zealand and continue to provide a wide range of digital and IT services.
The company says New Zealand’s relationship with India is gaining significant prominence through initiatives such as this, and will help further provide better market solutions to help close the skill gaps.