MTN South Africa is looking to employ 150 digital experts as part of its ambition to become Africa’s leading digital platform business by 2025.

In a statement the operator explains that the new positions cover several new critical roles, including UX and UI designers, product owners, performance marketers, digital content specialists, e-commerce experts, “full stack” developers, “scrum masters” and business analysts.

“We intend to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world and are therefore looking to expand our teams to ensure we keep challenging what we do to always do better,” says Tebogo Maenetja, Chief of Human resources at MTN South Africa “As we recover from the devastation of COVID-19, exciting job openings for young people and those with high-level digital skills and aptitude are opening up within MTN; proof of the power that connectivity holds for South Africans.”

She continues, “We are innovating more and investing to lead with platforms that will all be powered by the nation’s best network. Our experts and expertise will be central to helping us bring these benefits of the modern, digital world to more South African citizens, but we know our success will be measured by the quality of our people and our ability to create and to influence and improve the lives of all.”

Referencing South Africa’s unemployment rate at a record 34.9% in the third quarter of 2021, and more than half a million jobs shed, Maenetja says it is crucial that companies help create more jobs and more opportunities; with the drive for digital solutions in the 4IR which MTN describes as an important enabler of jobs growth and an avenue to help close skills gaps.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation says South Africa is beset by the triple challenge of income inequality, unemployment and poverty, amidst a prematurely deindustrialising economy. Yet it is now facing the realities of a paradigm shift in the way business is done and how people live and work because of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the UN also points out that certain 4IR technologies saw a surge in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical diagnosis, the Internet of Things (IoT) for consumer goods, and mobile applications for financial transactions, transportation and utility vending.

Other important technologies include digital learning platforms used by universities and schools, augmented and virtual reality in teaching and learning, as well as in entertainment, drones for delivering medicine to rural areas, and 3D printing for medical use.

“The way people live, play and work has changed forever and MTN is embracing a new world of digital technology and service in areas like Fintech, AI, IoT, robotics and many more.”