ADVOCACY

It has become a widely-recognized fact that entrepreneurs and information technology have become the backbone of the world economy. The increasing penetration of IT in society and in most of industries/businesses, as well as the joining forces of entrepreneurship and innovation in the economy, reinforce the need for The Institute Of Chartered IT Professionals (ICITP) in South Africa.

The objective of ICITP nationally is to create a structured and yet vibrant environment for its members to become the next generation of high-impact entrepreneurs, turning their I.T. based skills into business ideas and into actual start-up ventures.

The Institute Of Chartered IT Professionals (ICITP) seeks to advance youth and graduates employability, entrepreneurship, and social inclusion in South Africa by addressing challenges surrounding integrating graduates and young people into the employment market, highlighting innovative approaches and uses of ICTs, and providing pathways to boost self-development, knowledge, and skills.

The South African Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry faces a critical shortfall of entrepreneurial and business skills and it doesn’t have enough jobs for all of its experienced professionals. There’s a lack of people with entrepreneurial and strong management skills and experience in the ICT industry.

ICITP as a professional body guides members to discover business opportunities that require IT as an enabler, design an I.T. business model, program the necessary enabling technologies, mentoring members in preparing and executing a comprehensive business plan.

ICITP will provide an environment nationally where graduates will not be looking for new jobs when they graduate: they will be offering jobs to other young graduates looking to become part of the next-generation business success story in South Africa.

For a developing economy like South Africa, entrepreneurship and social innovation are vital to unlock growth and economic inclusion. The South African government has acknowledged that it will play a crucial part of future growth and success for the country. This has resulted in a number of policy and structural developments to promote entrepreneurship, build capacity and ecosystems as well as foster entrepreneurial thinking starting at the educational level. In order to change the socio-economic landscape of the country it would have to support a concerted effort to develop entrepreneurship at the grass roots level and up.