HP is on the road to transformation and empowerment.

The launch of the HP Business Institute (HPBI) is the latest milestone. It is an academy that will increase the pool of IT talent in South Africa’s majority black community. The Institute is part of HP’s commitment to a growth strategy that targets inequality in the South African economy.

HP was the first company to obtain approval for such a programme under the government’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) initiative.

The HP Business Institute will fast-track young graduates and black employees of Small to Medium sized Enterprises (SMME’s), empowering them with the skills they need to compete successfully in the ICT sector. The shortage of IT skills is a strong barrier to development in South Africa.

The Institute is a significant part of HP’s overall B-BBEE strategy and brings HP’s total investment in B-BBEE initiatives to over €15 million. HP will identify up to 300 students annually who will be placed in short term skills programmes and one year traineeships. The first group of students will commence their studies in February 2008.

Enterprise and skills development is critical to economic growth, especially in the ICT sector. Ultimately, HPBI will assist SMME’s in boosting their skills and productivity levels, allowing them to operate and compete at the highest possible business level.