YiPs Africa gets a boost
About YIPS
Who Are the Young i Professionals?
The Young i Professionals are a group of technology professionals that represent all “young†entrants into the job market or “young†users of the IBM Power platform starting with IBM i, iSeries, System i, and AS/400 and hopefully growing to the AIX professionals.
YiPs Africa was successfully launched in South Africa last year (2009) in November at IBM Sandton, South Africa. YiPs Africa it’s an (NGO) Non Governmental Organization. South Africa is the third country globally to have YiPs and Common structures.
Why the Young i Professionals?
Who better to help new users get acquainted with the platform and plethora of options available on the platform than those who only recently learned? While already simple due to the nature of the system, we want to help make the process of learning the both basic and advanced topics of IBM i administration, development and management a little more accessible. By teaming new users with the IBM Power Systems Academic Initiative as well as seasoned experts in each field of IBM i operations, we think we’ve done just that.
What is IBM Academic Initiative
IBM Academic Initiative is a global program that facilitates the collaboration between IBM and educators to teach students the information technology skills they need to be competitive and keep pace with changes in the workplace.
The focus of this program that started the second half of 2008 in South Africa was to train young 3rd year students, about to receive their IT diploma at the Vaal University of Technology Ekurhuleni Campus, to be able to go into the work market where 45 to 50 is the average age presently. The main aim is to bring young blood with fresh ideas using the latest programming styles into the industry.
This program started by teaching ILE RPG to the students. When feedback was received, the curriculum was expanded to fit the industry and has been growing to where many modern concepts are being included to prepare the students to present a fresh influence in the industry. Topics such as embedded SQL, Stored Procedures, API's, ROA, etc. has been included to ensure that students with more rounded skills reach the market.
To reach that target PHP and modernization tools have been included with the help of sponsors that have gone to great effort and expense to build the skills base among students who do not have the financial wherewithal to afford publications as well as software. With the help of Tembo Technology Lab, the publishing houses as well as the authors, publications were provided and are included in a library for the students for use while they are on the course.
Marinus van Sandwyk, from Tembo Technology Lab, arranged for Look Software to provide 30 licenses to the IBM Academic Initiative in South Africa to the value of R3, 3 million. These licenses are used to give the students practical exposure to modern development as well as modernization principles.
IBM Power Systems Academic Initiative has kindly donated a new Power Systems machine to the local IBM Academic Initiative program. The new machine, which will be capable of running IBM i V7R1, AIX and Linux, is in the process of being installed at Edgetec who will be hosting the machine. This machine will be available for use by all universities that subscribe to this program. Presently only Vaal University of Technology is part of the program, but discussion with Cape Peninsula University of Technology as well as other local academic institutions are under way. Cape Peninsula University of Technology has indicated that they will be hosting this program the first semester of 2011.
How implemented in SA
Started 2008 at Vaal University of Technology Ekuruleni Campus and has already finished 4 semesters with 70 students trained.
Support from IBM and Business partners
• IBM supplied courseware as well as providing a lecturer.
• Edgetec sponsored the use of hardware.
• Tembo Technology Lab and authors of handbooks sponsored handbooks.
• Look Software through Tembo Technology Lab sponsored licenses for Look Software.
• IBM Power Systems Academic Initiative has supplied modern hardware to replace the hardware sponsored by Edgetec.
Future of the project
This project is about to be rolled out to other technical universities in SA.
Hyphen, a part of First Rand group, together with Tembo Technology Labs, is busy with the process of registering official internships and registering them with the relevant SETAs.
The USA Power community and COMMON USA are carefully monitoring the project to also use similar principles to enliven their industry. Trevor Perry from COMMON USA is working closely with this project.
For further more information visit the site: www.yips.org.za