{"id":310733,"date":"2019-06-20T06:20:33","date_gmt":"2019-06-20T04:20:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=310733"},"modified":"2019-06-19T17:23:50","modified_gmt":"2019-06-19T15:23:50","slug":"get-a-vzap-certification-in-java-programming-it-will-change-your-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/industrynews\/310733-get-a-vzap-certification-in-java-programming-it-will-change-your-life.html","title":{"rendered":"Get a VZAP certification in Java programming &#8211; it will change your life"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Many institutions offer glamorous certifications or degrees which you pay a ton of money for, only to find out that in practice the knowledge you\u2019ve gained is not as valuable as you might\u2019ve thought.<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully, at <a href=\"http:\/\/tracker.mybroadband.co.za\/\/track.php?page=bWFpbHRvOmphdmFAdnphcC5jby56YQ?source=200619\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Van Zyl and Pritchard (VZAP)<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0the opposite is true.\u00a0VZAP offers a high-standard programming course in Java where students get 800 hours of specialised, in-depth training in programming, free of charge \u2013 provided the student completes the compulsory two years of in-service training once they\u2019ve completed the course.<\/p>\n<p>To qualify for the free training course, students also have to pass the VZAP Competency Test with a sub-minimum of 65%. The competency test costs a small fee to take and evaluates prospective students\u2019 thinking skills and levels of logic, concentration, and comprehension.<\/p>\n<p>According to Stuart Fripp, Senior Developer and Trainer at VZAP, by taking the test, students also get a clear idea of whether the programming course is for them. For example, some students might be more interested in web design, rather than hardcore system coding, and will realise after taking the test that this course is not for them.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><strong>What the training course entails<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The VZAP Java programming course is designed to teach anyone with the interest and logic to do so, how to programme.<\/p>\n<p>Students who are selected for the programme are taught the core concepts and principles of programming in Java using object-oriented\u00a0analysis and design methodologies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe take students from a point where they don&#8217;t know how to programme all the way through to being able to develop a system,\u201d said Fripp.<\/p>\n<p>The course consists of 6 modules, full-time, presented over a 25-week period.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur students work 7 and a half hours in class and then get about 3 hours of homework, and they write weekly tests. So, it\u2019s really hard work, and you really need the passion and the drive to be able to pull through,\u201d said Fripp.<\/p>\n<p>In Modules 1-4, students learn all the different programming techniques, and in Module 5 they have a system project, where they put the theory into practice.<\/p>\n<p>In Module 5, which is stretched out over a 6-7-week period, students also must work in a team, just as they would in a real-world scenario. Then, at the end of this module, companies are invited to watch students present their work.<\/p>\n<p><a  data-lightbox=\"post-image\" href=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/1-5.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-310751 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/1-5-640x427.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/1-5-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/1-5-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/1-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/1-5-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/1-5.jpg 1429w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><strong>The Differentiating factors<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>What sets VZAP-certified graduates apart from their peers is that they are trained in hardcore programming &#8211; unlike many other institutions.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Too many guys are coming out of the universities with multiple programming languages, and they might&#8217;ve done some really cool programming, but when it comes down to the real nitty gritty, hard-core, enterprise side, the guys are battling,&#8221; said Fripp.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When that rubber hits the road, you need to know how to resolve the problem and how to go about doing that.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>VZAP also teaches life skills and equip students for interviews as many of their students have never been for an interview before.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><strong>Getting placed<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Getting into the industry is the hardest part for prospective programmers, which is why VZAP have incorporated the compulsory 2 years of in-service training.<\/p>\n<p>Students benefit by being placed with a company for 2 years as they receive a monthly salary and valuable experience. There is also the possibility of being employed permanently after that period, should the involved company choose to make the student an offer.<\/p>\n<p>VZAP\u2019s success rate for placing employees with companies is also very high, with their most recent course seeing a placing rate of 100%.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><strong>Cross-skilling with Java<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>According to many studies, Java is currently one of the most popular programming languages and is a great way of getting into object-oriented programming.<\/p>\n<p>Using Java, VZAP trains students to create databases, develop applications and build systems.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We don\u2019t just focus on Java. We teach them how to write software in Java for those core concepts, but cross-skill them, so it&#8217;s easy for them to adapt. This means they can go out in Python, Cobol, C++, C-sharp, or DotNet, as long as they understand the core concepts,\u201d said Fripp.<\/p>\n<p>VZAP also continues to modify the course as necessary, keeping up with the current trends and technologies.<\/p>\n<p><a  data-lightbox=\"post-image\" href=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/IMG_0637-e1560957432137.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-310745 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/IMG_0637-640x427.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><strong>What students have to say<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><strong>Reward Gumede<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>\u201cEnrolling for the VZAP Java programming course was the best decision I\u2019ve ever made. I&#8217;ve learned how to create a programme from the ground-level up. I could go to university, but I don&#8217;t believe I would be able to assemble the information together as they teach us here at VZAP.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the future, I&#8217;d like to go into the field of Robotics. Of course, I won&#8217;t be able to do that right away, but at least I have a foundation of how to programme,\u201d said Gumede.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><strong>Methenjwa Maurice Machi\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;I enrolled in the course because I wanted to do something new. I was previously a musician and sound engineer. Thus far, we\u2019ve learnt how to create programmes and games from scratch, record information, and get information from files.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s a challenge, but I love it. VZAP will chisel you and make you into something you&#8217;ve never even thought about, and they do a very good job in molding students into people who are experts in their field, and when they go out, they can handle anything and everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Maurice is excited to fuse his musical expertise with what he is learning in programming, and possibly develop his own recording or sound app.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><strong>Simpiwe Gama<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;Our lecturers are amazing, they&#8217;re patient with us, which is not what you&#8217;d expect. But they even sit with us in the mornings and work through things even we don&#8217;t understand it. They&#8217;re very helpful.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the knowledge I obtain through this course, I hope to create a programme for my brother to help him with math,\u201d said Gama.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_310747\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a  data-lightbox=\"post-image\" href=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2019-VZAP-students-1-e1560957513814.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-310747\" class=\"wp-image-310747 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2019-VZAP-students-1-640x427.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-310747\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left to right: Students Reward Gumede, Methenjwa Maurice Machi, and Simpiwe Gama.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>VZAP Java training is for anyone with a passion for IT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Senior Trainer at VZAP Gregory Guy said this course provides an opportunity for those who wouldn\u2019t normally have one.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s also what\u2019s driven us through this particular programme,\u201d said Guy. \u201cEven if you\u2019re a student that\u2019s unsure whether you want to do programming &#8211; we test anybody. You only need a matric certificate, be a legal South African citizen, and have a passion to create and build software.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOver the past 30 years we&#8217;ve placed nearly 20,000 people into our industry, and the success rate of VZAP students that have become senior developers or architects in the industry is very high,\u201d said Guy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve also gained international recognition for the excellent caliber of IT professionals we\u2019ve produced, which proves beyond doubt that this course works.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><strong>Apply now<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Applicants can now apply for the mid-year 2019 intake. Mid-year intake classes commence 12 August 2019, and certification is presented full-time only.<\/p>\n<p>To find out more or to apply for the competency you can email VZAP at: <a href=\"http:\/\/tracker.mybroadband.co.za\/\/track.php?page=bWFpbHRvOmphdmFAdnphcC5jby56YQ?source=200619\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>java@vzap.co.za<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><strong>VZAP students \u2013 First class of 2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a  data-lightbox=\"post-image\" href=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2019-VZAP-students.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-310741 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2019-VZAP-students.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2019-VZAP-students.jpg 640w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2019-VZAP-students-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2019-VZAP-students-595x400.jpg 595w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Van Zyl and Pritchard (VZAP) is seeking top candidates for their entry-level Java Programming course.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":341026,"featured_media":310735,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28937],"tags":[35,10582,59605,59607],"class_list":["post-310733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industrynews","tag-headline","tag-java","tag-van-zyl-and-pritchard","tag-vzap"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310733"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/341026"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=310733"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310733\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/310735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=310733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=310733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=310733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}