The annual Computer Olympiad Talent Search, an initiative of the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA), is back for 2023 – running nationwide from 6 – 10 March.
The Talent Search is a fun challenge for school learners of all ages to develop the problem-solving and computational abilities they need for all STEMI subjects, including IT related subjects. The challenge can be completed online, or as a pen and paper test.
The Talent Search challenge, with around 20 000 participants each year, comprises problems relating to abstraction, decomposition, optimisation, manipulation of data, sorting, searching, identifying patterns and many other algorithms used in Maths, Science, IT, CAT, the humanities and even sport. For many learners, it also serves as a first step towards an understanding of IT, and a launchpad to later participation in the IITPSA’s Programming Olympiad and Applications Olympiad.
IITPSA President Admire Gwanzura says the Talent Search and Computer Olympiads are designed to support the development of STEMI skills and interest, a crucial factor in equipping South Africa’s youths for careers in the 4IR.
“We believe it’s never too early to lay the foundations for problem solving skills, so the Talent Search has papers designed for learners as young as grades 3 and 4, through to matric,” Gwanzura says.
“Without digital access and ICT skills, Africa’s children will remain at a disadvantage when it comes to opportunities in a borderless digital workplace. We need to see more organisations working together to empower and equip our youth with digital skills, and we invite the public and private sectors to work with us to expand our efforts to contribute to driving ICT in education. Through initiatives like the Talent Search and Computer Olympiads, we are helping prepare them to compete for opportunities in a global and digital job market,” he notes.
Past Talent Search papers are available online and for offline use, to help learners prepare for the Talent Search. Schools can register to participate in the 2023 Talent Search here https://olympiad.org.za/talent-search/register/
