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In South Africa, sparking new careers
In collaboration with Walter Sisulu University, Samsung Innovation Campus in South Africa seeks to boost youth employment in the technology sector by equipping young people with core IT skills. ...
Tech training that opens doors
22-year-old Tshililo Mungoni acquired skills in programming and data analysis at Samsung Innovation Campus. ...
Samsung innovation campus in South Africa
2024: The second cohort of Samsung Innovation Campus students in South Africa graduates ...
Skills for success
Tshililo found the Samsung Innovation Campus programme “transformative” not just for its focus on tech skills. ...
With knowledge comes confidence
Tshililo credits Samsung Innovation Campus for giving her the confidence to step into the workforce and boosting her self-belief—that...
Eye on the future
A new job that she loves is also inspiring Tshililo to dream about her future—she sees herself ...
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Sparking a new career path
How one South African student's foray into tech was kickstarted
Star student Tshililo Mungoni was part of Samsung Innovation Campus' second cohort of students in South Africa. She graduated this year alongside 24 others and says the programme⎯which seeks to boost youth employment across the Eastern Cape in the technology sector by empowering them with Fourth Industrial Revolution skills in the field of artificial intelligence, coding and programming, and Internet of Things⎯has greatly impacted her life by setting her on a new career path.
Growing up in the Limpopo province in South Africa, I was fascinated by the fourth industrial revolution⎯the rapid technological development that we see today. But it was when I began my studies in Information Communication and Technology in Applications Development at Walter Sisulu University that I truly became passionate about technology; specifically, how it can simplify tasks and create solutions. I realised that tech innovation is continual and the possibilities are endless.
Following my curiosity during my time at university, I applied and was selected for the Samsung Innovation Campus programme. I was really keen because I wanted to expand my knowledge and prepare myself for a career in tech. I believed the programme would equip me with vital skills and help guide me towards choosing a career path.
Collaborating for success
Over nine months in 2023, I took two courses throughout my time at Samsung Innovation Campus: “Coding and Programming”, which taught me how to analyse, clean and visualise data using the programming software Python; and “Artificial Intelligence”, where I studied topics such as machine learning, deep-learning neural networks and image classification for robotics.
We were taught by motivated and patient instructors who are industry experts themselves, and supported by Samsung Innovation Campus mentors who guided us in solving problems that we were struggling with.
For each course, I worked on a team project with four other students. In “Coding and Programming”, we used Python to create a visual representation of South Africa’s population and identified provinces that experience population fluctuations. We wanted to gain insights into population changes and identify population trends by comparing data from different time periods. The goal was to make our graphics informative, accurate and visually‑appealing.
In “Artificial Intelligence”, inspired by a team member’s family member who was diagnosed with breast cancer at a relatively late stage, we looked at how using neural networks and deep learning can improve diagnoses. We analysed data from a university medical centre that provided us with information on breast mass, textures and measurements. Our goal was to develop models for early detection, which is more likely to lead to successful treatment and can help save lives. I’m happy to say that I was awarded the top student prize in this course based on tests, the project and presentations.
A "transformative" programme
Personally, Samsung Innovation Campus was a transformative experience and it exceeded my expectations.
Working on both projects allowed me the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to real-life scenarios for the first time, and the quality of resources we had access to was exceptional. The team also taught me a lot about how to work collaboratively. While we sometimes had conflicting opinions on what approach to take, we learnt how to resolve these differences by brainstorming our ideas, discussing strategies, dividing tasks between us and reviewing each other’s contributions. Doing so brought us closer together and we became really good friends.
Apart from that, the programme further helped me develop soft skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, project and time management, public speaking and creativity. All these have greatly boosted my confidence about joining the workforce and shown me that I have a potential in tech to drive innovation and solve real-life problems.
Thanks to Samsung Innovation Campus, I discovered new things that I’m passionate about⎯and it even caused me to change my path from software development to business analysis. The fact that the programme is free was also helpful as previously, there were limited opportunities for me to pursue related classes in university.
Set on a new career path
In March 2024, I moved to Johannesburg and started working as a business-intelligence analyst for a database-management company.
Samsung Innovation Campus was instrumental in me securing this role. During the hiring process, I shared my certificates from the programme with the company. The practical knowledge I had gained in Python programming and data manipulation made me a competitive candidate. In fact, I believe that is why I got the job.
At BD-Nav, I have the opportunity to work with multinational companies in the retail and fast-moving consumer goods spaces, analysing their sales data, generating visual representations and reports, and helping them with forecasts and sales strategies. Each day, I am utilising both technical and soft skills I acquired at Samsung Innovation Campus in my day-to-day work.
To students who are considering joining the programme, my advice is to not just do it, but to take full advantage of the opportunities it brings. Approach each task with curiosity and the willingness to learn because you will acquire very valuable tech skills, as I have done.
What is the Samsung Innovation Campus?
Samsung Innovation Campus is a global education program that helps youth build advanced IT skills and practical capabilities to create better opportunities. The program offers structured AI education suitable for the digital age, along with hands-on training, expert mentoring, and instruction in key future technologies like big data and IoT. Tailored programs are available for marginalized groups such as people with disabilities and women, to expand access to IT education.
Graduates pursue various career paths including IT employment, tech-driven startups, and social impact initiatives. Since its launch in 2013, more than 204,000 youth in 40 countries have joined the program, using technology to design their future and realize greater potential.