High school pupils often feel daunted by the many decisions they must make in their final year, which shape the start of their careers. BBD offers a bursary programme to alleviate some of the financial pressure involved
Each year, we welcome a class of bursars ranging from students in their first year of university through to postgraduate students in IT and related fields. Our Bursary & Beyond Programme not only helps students with the financial means required to study their chosen degree, but also gives these students a window into the IT industry and their own career path. “The BBD Bursary & Beyond Programme helped me tremendously in my career,” says Phumzile Nkosi, previous BBD bursar, who is now part of BBD’s Graduate Programme and working on a client project in the telecommunications sector. “With the high rate of unemployment in South Africa, it ensured I had a job after my studies, and I could advance my qualification and have support throughout the process.”
A highlight of the Bursary Programme is Vac Week, where all bursars come together during their university vacation, mingle with one another and with our team of experts before breaking off into teams to work on a project that they must deliver and present together to the company. “It is a great opportunity to stretch your skills and put them to use,” adds Nkosi. “It allows you to explore different technologies and learn new ways to solve problems from your peers. The goal is to meet other bursars, learn, advance, challenge yourself and have fun in the process.”
The Programme aims to enable growth for bursars both personally and professionally. For Nkosi, this meant gaining more confidence by belonging to a team, advancing her existing tech skills, learning how to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts within a team. Additionally, at the end of their studies, bursars are funnelled into our Grad Programme – meaning, on completion of their degree and after acquiring the knowledge needed to pursue a career in the IT industry, they have a secured spot in the Grad Programme, eliminates the uncertainty about making the move from student to professional.
Are you or someone you know a passionate student who is currently or will be enrolled in a BSc / BEng / BCom / BIS degree at a recognised university? Does the world of software development tickle your fancy? If so, then our Bursary & Beyond Programme is for you. Apply here
BBD’s More than a Grad Programme
“As a bursar, you’re already part of the BBD team and because of that, the transition from bursar to grad is not difficult,” explains Nkosi. She says that although the programmes are completely different, the support and mentorship received from ATC, BBD’s internal Research & Development team, ensures a smooth transition. However, the Grad Programme is open to applicants who are passionate, newly qualified grads with a Diploma / Bachelors / Honours / Masters / Doctorate degree in an engineering or software-related discipline.
Our year-long Grad Programme runs both in India and South Africa and shapes you into a professional who can step into any team and deliver. We remain committed to helping you grab every opportunity across different technologies, sectors and solutions, so that you can make an impact on every team you’re a part of throughout your career. Grads are exposed to a multitude of technologies and languages that are used across the software development lifecycle. Nicholas Pym, a previous BBD grad, explains that the programme helped him become familiar with different software engineering principles as well as a wide variety of tech that enabled his growth as a software engineer. Nkosi adds that for her, the programme introduced her to different ways of leveraging existing tech to solve problems more efficiently, and also enabled her to better understand the power of programming languages, such as Java, JavaScript, and C#.
The programme is broken down into four key learning areas: deeper tech knowledge, individualised learning, project experience, and learning through fun. Each of these areas are specially designed to help you become more tech savvy while developing your soft skills and enabling you to build a network of likeminded people – essentially giving you all you need to thrive in the industry.
Besides the huge amount of support you receive, and the heaps of knowledge you acquire throughout the year, there are some noteworthy highlights that make the programme that much more exciting. “We work hard but we play harder,” says Nkosi. “One time we went go-karting, I although I can’t drive very well, it was such fun!” Pym says, “BBD plans loads of fun activities, such as the grad trip and lunches.”
On top of all the perks of being a BBD grad, the ATC team guides you through the year to ensure your transition to IT professional is not only seamless, but that you are given every opportunity to grow into a key member of your team, the company and the industry as a whole.
If you’re looking to bridge the gap between what you’ve learnt at university and what you need to flourish in the IT industry, our Grad Programme is for you. Read all about the programme here.
Landing a spot as a permanent BBD member
Once you’ve completed the year-long Grad Programme, you’ll join the BBD team where you’ll continue to build connections, receive support, expand your breadth and depth of knowledge and work on exciting projects in different sectors and teams. The Bursary & Grad Programmes each have their own perks, but once you join BBD as a permanent employee, the perks keep on coming. You’ll be joining a team of 1 000+ IT professionals, a company that has a global footprint and, as part of team BBD, you’ll continue to stimulate your passion for all things tech, while you’re encouraged and supported in your career growth.
“The best way to keep growing at BBD is not to just focus on the project you’re currently assigned to but to use your free time to learn new valuable skills that can further you as an engineer,” says Pym. Nkosi adds that growing within BBD is made very easy since you’re working with some of the most experienced and clued-up people in the industry who provide guidance and support.
We are built on the philosophy that each and every employee should have the same opportunity to excel and develop – regardless of how long they’ve been in the industry or part of the team. So, if you’re looking for a career in a company making some serious waves in the tech industry, no matter what stage in your career, apply for a spot on the BBD team today.
