Wipro to expand intake of graduates for SA internship prog

IT major Wipro today said it plans to expand the intake of graduates for its internship programme in South Africa.
Now in its second year, Wipro's local internship programme in South Africa had enrolled 70 graduates in 2013 and this will be increased to 150 next year, the company said in a release.
Internship applicants (B.Sc students with a specialisation in Mathematics and Science) from disadvantaged backgrounds are put through a process of entrance exams and interviews with local Wipro leadership to test attitudes to learning in addition to technical aptitude, it added.
Wipro said: Post the completion of initial three months of theoretical training, the interns are interviewed for an apprentice role on a number of live projects.

Once placed, the interns will receive supervised on-the-job training and mentorship for a further three months. The performance records will be reviewed and those qualifying will be absorbed into Wipro's operations in South Africa.
"The internship programme is becoming a crucial enabler of Wipro's growth in Africa. For us, the programme is about nurturing talent for local leadership and ensuring that we have the right people on board -- people who understand local culture, local markets and local customers across the African continent," Wipro Senior Vice President, Human Resources Saurabh Govil said.
"The programme offers a very high chance of being absorbed into the company - the first batch of 30 interns from 2013 is now employed full-time at Wipro," he added.