| Fri 11 May 2001, 0:00 | | Csh - Partners Absa In Multi-million Computer Prof |
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CS COMPUTER SERVICES HOLDINGS LIMITED
CS Holdings partners Absa in multi-million computer proficiency project
JSE-listed CS Holdings' partnership with the Absa group has entered a new,
critical phase in support of the bank's accelerated e-strategy. Nallie Bosman,
Group Chief Executive, says Absa is entrenching a group-wide e-business mindset
to position itself as a leading new-economy player, with all staff members
playing a role in the process. Part of this initiative is the group's computer
proficiency drive, which has now become the most important focus area of CS
Holdings' Education Solutions division as service provider to and partner of
Absa.
The computer proficiency drive entails a skills analysis and concomitant IT
training of 300 top executives, middle management, and the remainder of the
Absa employees, some 34 000, based on identified business need.
The project is part of the work done by CS Education Solutions as Absa's IT
training partner since June 2000. In terms of the outsourcing partnership
agreement, CS Education Solutions manages Absa's IT training in line with the
bank's strategy and business requirements.
Murray Burger, GM: Learning and Development at Absa, notes: "Absa spends
millions of rand educating its people, which includes a substantial percentage
spent on IT and IT-related training. The assessment phase of this project and
the related training for executives and middle management alone is worth around
R5 million. The cost of the computer proficiency drive is, however, more than
justified considering the substantial increase in the value of Absa's human
capital."
Burger says the programme, which is fully endorsed by top management, will
focus primarily on Absa's e-business strategy. However, it will also add value
to the other prime business objectives of the group, through entrenching faster
communication, better information management and workflow and technological
adroitness among all employees.
"The best e-business strategy is of little value to a business if its people do
not understand it and cannot use the tools effectively," notes Burger. In this
project, CS Education Solutions is responsible for the skills analysis of the
top 300 executives, and for coaching them in terms of their individual needs.
CS Education Solutions has undertaken the assessment and training of middle
management and other employees, which could result in their qualifying for the
ICDL (International Computer Driver's Licence). The ICDL is an internationally
acknowledged computer competency standard that is recognised by the Computer
Society of SA and in more than 45 countries, and is used as a performance
benchmark by large corporates and universities such as Unisa, RAU, UCT and
Rhodes. The ICDL syllabus consists of modules on seven key computing concepts.
Burger says the ICDL will be used on most of the top 300 executives, with the
potential for rollout to the rest of Absa's employees. This standardisation of
skills of the entire body of Absa staff is fundamental to the bank's decision
to offer e-business services to its customers.
Burger says measurement of the success of the training is crucial to Absa.
"Evaluation can take place through the ICDL pre- and post-assessments and
evaluations such as Net-readiness or other business measurements such as usage
of PC tools to improve productivity. Measurement will take place at regular
intervals to assess the effectiveness of the training and the readiness of the
group for e-business. It is very important that Absa's business needs are
addressed and this will determine the value of the training. The level to which
Absa's e-business needs are addressed will, however, be the ultimate measure of
the success of the training."
As an added benefit for Absa, the assessment and training of staff will allow
CS Education Solutions to offer computer-based training (CBT) and
technology-based training (TBT) via the intranet/Internet to Absa staff, which
will considerably cut delivery costs. It is estimated that in two years' time,
60% of the training offered by CS Education Solutions to Absa will be TBT and
the remaining 40% instructor-led.
Dr Madelise Grobler, MD of CS Education Solutions, comments: "With our
established network training, we are well positioned to provide training
services on a national scale. We also follow a policy of giving only the most
suitable training, to the correctly identified people, for the most appropriate
business reasons. In other words, we do not just provide training for
education's sake, but become a part of the total solution,
incorporating an outcomes-based strategic solution to Absa's training needs."
Contact
Marthe Bijman, CS Holdings, 011-205-7000, mbijman@cs.co.za
Dawne Canning, FHC, 011-608-1228, dawne@fhc.co.za
