Xpdian (Pty) Ltd PO Box 11501 Wierda Park South Pretoria 0057 South Africa Tuesday, 03 May 2011
Dear Applicant,
Xpdian Business Analysis Internship Programme Thank you for responding to our advertisement and your interest to join the Xpdian Business Analysis Internship Programme. The purpose of the Xpdian Business Analysis Internship Programme is to facilitate and accelerate the skills development and work experience of graduates that are new to the information systems field. It is a fast track developmental programme that aims to teach and develop specific skills in an individual to empower them to function as a successful business analyst in a business environment. It is an energetic, fast-paced and high pressure learning track that will demand the utmost commitment and dedication from the selected interns. With this in mind we are looking for exceptional candidates that are willing to dedicate twelve months to learn the skills presented by this programme. As this is an internship, it is important that you understand the following: • •
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This opportunity is not an employment position and at no stage during the internship should be construed as such. There will be no salary paid during this internship although deserving candidates may receive a discretionary allowance (maximum R1,500.00 per month) to assist travel to our training venue At the conclusion of the internship you may receive an offer of employment, but this should at no time be construed as a guarantee of employment Should you qualify for this internship we reserve the right to remove you from this program at any time
The requirements for this program due to start on 1 August 2011 are: •
B degree – It does not necessarily have to be in an information technology field as we will equip you with the necessary skills to work in an information technology field. We will also consider other qualifications as long as it is the result of a minimum of a three year qualification at a tertiary level.
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Excellent communication and leadership skills – we work with human beings and as such we have to be able to communicate on an exceptional level. Eighty percent of the work of a business analyst is leading facilitated sessions and interpersonal communication. Confidence in your own abilities – we need people that are confident self starters who know that they will achieve success through hard work, dedication and continuous learning. A passion to learn – The programme contains aspects of all the skills needed to build a successful career. It is classroom based with practical components to ensure experiential learning but it does not only rely on us teaching you the skills you require but requires you to bring new knowledge to the programme through your own reading and research. Respect for others and for yourself - The basis for good teamwork and service to others is a respectful environment in which all participants respect each other and themselves. Ethical behaviour and honesty - This above all is a requirement for an internship position. Any failure in this requirement will disqualify you from this program. Appearance – It is a requirement that the applicants will be neat in their appearance and in the working environment. The principles that we live by and will be key to selection of the candidates are: o Customer focus is central to all we do. Our customers are the examples of the excellent work we deliver and will contribute to the reputation we have in our target market. Respect for the customer, and reasonable attempts to meet the customers’ needs and wishes in the team environment, will define our interaction with the customer. At all times we have to provide better products and services than our competitors o To achieve customer satisfaction we have to focus on delivering quality products and services at all times o To maintain our competitive edge, we must strive to cultivate a mind set of excellence in all we do o In order to effectively deliver an excellent service to our customers we will need from time to time to rely on business relationships to accomplish our goals. Business partners will at all times be treated with respect and be included in our teams in the same way we will include fellow employees o The conduct of all employees must be such that our integrity and honesty are never compromised. The conduct of our company must be seen as socially responsible and must command respect from all o We are a team. We treat each other with trust and respect. We allow each other to achieve our dreams and ambitions o Our Company is open to men and women alike, without discrimination, regardless of belief, race or ethnicity
Currently this program is structured to include the following topics: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Business analysis as a career Introduction to Project Management and Teams Introduction to the UML using Enterprise Architect Business Analysis Concepts Introduction to Business Rules Powerful Presentations Whole Brain Thinking and Facilitation Introduction to Mind Mapping and Creative Problem Solving Document Management Managing Change Introduction to Goal Setting Introduction to Time Management Introduction to coaching and mentoring Building customer relationships Negotiation skills The Power of Innovation Instant Expert Modules o Knowledge Management o Business Intelligence o Data Warehousing o CRM o Service Oriented Architecture o Supply Chain Management o ERP o Security o Enterprise Architecture o Networks o Data Architecture
The program will have the following structure: • •
Instructor led theoretical sessions with practical demonstration of skills Trial and error - Practical projects to be executed by delegates with demonstration of competence
Please note that the contents of this program are not fixed and may change. To qualify for this program the following selection process will be followed: 1. Completion of the attached forms and submission of those forms before end of day 31 May 2011. 2. Evaluation of applications by Xpdian.
3. Interview process – a. Initial interviews with selected delegates (to be scheduled from 6 June – 17 June). These interviews will consider: i. Your general suitability for this program ii. Your general background and skills iii. General abilities required for this program iv. Getting to know you. v. Q&A session in which you will be afforded the opportunity to find out more information about Xpdian and the internship program. b. Second interviews (to be scheduled from 20-30 June with shortlisted candidates). These interviews will consider: i. Your understanding of Xpdian - the company ii. Specific suitability for the program iii. Your goals and objectives in terms of your life and career c. Third interviews with shortlisted candidates (Saturday sessions – July 2011) and will be based around the following: i. A prepared presentation to a panel on the topic: The seven habits of highly effective people. This presentation should be built around the concepts described in the book by the same name of Stephen R. Covey. ii. Open session in which the candidates will be quizzed by a panel of interviewers. Interviews are preferred to be face to face interviews although first interviews with delegates outside Gauteng may be Skype based. Second and third interviews will be conducted at Xpdian’s offices in Gauteng. Should you be selected as a participant in this program you should be aware of the following: •
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Training days will run from 9:00 to 16:00 Monday to Friday. Notwithstanding this you should be prepared to spend time outside of work and over weekends in order to complete tasks that may require more time than provided for in normal hours. Travelling to the training venue in Centurion is your responsibility. On time presence at the venue is required and tardiness will exclude candidates from any further participation in the program. Smoking policy – In order to provide a healthy environment for workers, customers and visitors we have a strict no-smoking policy and do not provide any facilities for smokers in our buildings or on our premises.
I look forward to receiving your applications for this program. It is my personal belief that this is a unique opportunity to gain understanding and experience in a rapidly growing and scarce skill in the Information and Communications Technology world.
Yours sincerely, Francois Coetzee CEO Xpdian (Pty) Ltd