Standard Bank launches African data-science skills pipeline

Standard Bank has launched its Data-Science and Analytics (DSA) graduate programme, with an inaugural intake of 13 graduates from six African markets.
The programme is the latest addition to Standard Bank’s existing graduate programmes run across its Africa network, and aims to accelerate the deployment of data-science and analytics specialists in the banking industry.
The graduates will spend three months at Tech Mahindra’s Infocity in Bangalore, India; immersed in one of the world’s leading data-science and innovation centres, training in advance data analytics tools and project implementation, including international certification.
Graduates from Nigeria, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania, Swaziland and South Africa, with qualifications in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, IT, Statistics and Economics, were eligible to apply.
“We know that these are the scarce skills that are so critical to Africa’s growth and future competiveness. With innovative programmes such as the DSA, we and our partners hope that the potential to develop and enhance a new sector in Africa can be realised,” says Thula Ngonyama, Standard Bank Head of Customer Insights for Africa.
“Standard Bank’s DDA graduate programme has the potential to establish key African markets as centres of excellence in advanced analytics. This has immediate implications for employment as well as profound implications for Africa’s digital future,” she adds.
By developing a broad and deep pipeline of data-science skills across the continent, Standard Bank aims to be a key knowledge source and provider of data-analytics in Africa. While this supports Standard Bank’s digitisation and customer centric visions it also demonstrates, “our commitment to leveraging human potential through the development of marketable business skills that actively transform a sector with the potential to drive Africa’s growth,” explains Ngonyama.
Additional learning via a rotation through various lines of businesses within Standard Bank South Africa and the graduates’ home countries will cover training in industry and banking systems knowledge.
On completion of the programme, graduates will return to their home country to implement a specialised two-year data-science project at Standard Bank.
These projects are designed to, “kick-start African data-science hubs which we plan to grow in coming years as our DSA graduate programme adds more countries and graduates,” says Ngonyama.