At BCX, we believe transformation is more than just a buzzword—it’s a business imperative. As the ICT landscape evolves, so must the skills and perspectives within it. That’s why we’ve made a deliberate and strategic decision to invest in building future-fit talent, with a strong emphasis on empowering young women in tech.

Our journey began when we took a hard look at our internal capabilities against the backdrop of our new operating model. What we found was clear: while our teams had deep technical knowledge, there was a gap when it came to structured service management skills – skills that are vital to delivering the experience our clients expect in a competitive market.

To address this, we refreshed our Service Management Academy and developed a comprehensive curriculum with two distinct learning journeys: Practitioner and Professional. These span everything from ITIL, ISO and Six Sigma certifications to modules on emotional resilience, customer relationship management, communication, storytelling, innovation, and financial management. The aim is to develop well-rounded professionals capable of delivering differentiated customer experiences.

But the Academy isn’t just about internal capability building, it’s also a powerful engine for change, especially for young women entering the industry.

This year, we’ve taken a significant step forward by intentionally onboarding only female African, Coloured and Indian (ACI) graduates with data science backgrounds into our Practitioner learning journey. We currently have 4 interns on that path and another 16 beginning their year-long development journey in February 2026. Our goal is not simply to train these graduates and send them out into the market – we also want them to become part of our organisation, contributing fresh thinking and challenging long-held assumptions.

Why the focus on women? Because the tech industry in South Africa – and globally – continues to lack adequate representation of women in technical and leadership roles. And while there have been many initiatives over the years, the pace of change remains slow. At BCX, we want to be intentional about doing things differently. Creating inclusive opportunities doesn’t cost more, but it does require the will to embed diversity into strategy, and we’ve done just that.

We’ve also recognised the need for longevity and structure. This isn’t a once-off initiative. It’s part of a wider five-year skills transformation plan that includes five strategic career paths: AI & Automation, Service Desk Professional, Data Analytics and Reporting, Continuous Improvement, and Future Leadership & Mentorship. These will provide clear progression pathways for our customer facing workforce, and open doors for many more female ICT professionals in future.

For now, our female graduate intake is a strong signal of intent: we’re not just talking about transformation – we’re building it into the very DNA of our business.

We’re proud of what’s been achieved so far, but we also know there’s much more to do. If you’re a young woman passionate about tech, keep an eye on BCX’s social platforms for announcements around our next graduate intake. We’d love to hear from you.

Because the future of ICT isn’t just digital – it’s diverse, inclusive, and powered by the next generation.