SAS Talent Connection
Africa
Our Talent Connection Program facilitates easy connections between higher education students and companies using SAS.
We bridge the Data Analytics and AI skills gap by linking SAS-skilled students with SAS customers and employers of SAS talent.
SAS customers looking to employ graduates with SAS expertise are introduced to universities teaching SAS content in subjects such as statistics, data science, data mining, machine learning programming and marketing analytics.
SAS Talent Connection is a SAS initiative, specifically of the SAS Global Academic Program and the SAS Education and SAS Customer Advisory divisions, as well as our local SAS Partners.
How SAS Connects Students with Opportunities
We offer three key pathways to connect student talent with SAS customers.
SAS - University - Industry Talent Partnerships
SAS fosters long-term partnerships between universities and industry, ensuring a sustained pipeline of highly skilled talent. Over a minimum three-year commitment, industry partners gain exclusive access to top-tier talent, independent research, and the opportunity to shape curriculum to meet industry needs. In return for sustainability funding and bursaries, universities benefit from research projects, student internships, and guest lectures.
NWU is a SAS flagship university in South Africa. The university took a decision two decades ago to design a curriculum that meets real-world business needs in a rapidly digitalising economy. As a result, the financial services sector, particularly, is benefiting from a sustainable pipeline of data science skills to address real, strategic, and social problems.
The University of the Western Cape’s Masters in Statistical Science (specialising in Data Science) benefits from strong industry partnerships. A tri-party collaboration provides top students with bursaries to pursue master’s-level studies while also upskilling faculty in the latest data science developments and technologies like SAS Viya. Over 75% of graduates from both master’s programmes are employed by SAS customers.
Unlock the future of data-driven talent and career growth in Africa with SAS Talent Connection. Be part of this transformative journey and shape the next generation of analytics professionals—join us today!
A selection of universities and colleges that teach SAS as part of their coursework (please note, this is not the full list).
The SAS Academic Specialisation is a distinction granted by SAS to Universities and other higher education institutions that incorporate SAS into their curriculum, requiring a minimum of 150 hours of SAS-related instruction. More information can be found here.
| Institution | Department | Level | Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Peninsula University of Technology | Department of Mathematics and Physics | Undergraduate | Advanced Undergraduate Applied Statistics |
| Cape Peninsula University of Technology | Department of Mathematics and Physics | Undergraduate | Undergraduate Applied Statistics |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Graduate | Advanced Business Intelligence |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Graduate | Specialised Industry Project |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Graduate | Advanced Quantitative Risk Management |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Graduate | Advanced Financial Management |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Graduate | Advanced Actuarial Science |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Graduate | Specialised Risk Management |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Graduate | Specialised Business Intelligence |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Undergraduate | Business Intelligence |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Undergraduate | Quantitative Risk Management |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Undergraduate | Financial Management |
| North-West University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Undergraduate | Actuarial Science |
| Stellenbosch University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Graduate | Advanced Credit Risk |
| Stellenbosch University | Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics | Undergraduate | Credit Risk |
| University of Kwa-Zulu Natal | Discipline of Statistics | Graduate | Data Analytics |
| University of Kwa-Zulu Natal | Discipline of Statistics | Graduate | Master of Science in Data Analytics |
| University of Kwa-Zulu Natal | Discipline of Statistics | Undergraduate | Applied Analytics |
| University of Kwa-Zulu Natal | Discipline of Statistics | Undergraduate | Data Mining |
| University of Pretoria | Department of Statistics | Graduate | Advanced Data Analytics |
| University of Pretoria | Department of Statistics | Graduate | Advanced Business Data Analytics |
| University of Pretoria | Department of Statistics | Undergraduate | Statistics and Data Science for Business |
| University of Pretoria | Department of Statistics | Undergraduate | Mathematical Statistics |
| University of Pretoria | Department of Statistics | Undergraduate | Mathematical Business Statistics |
| University of Pretoria | Department of Statistics | Undergraduate | Statistics and Data Science |
| University of the Western Cape | Department of Statistics and Population Studies | Graduate | Advanced Business Intelligence |
| University of the Western Cape | Department of Statistics and Population Studies | Graduate | Advanced Analytics Studies |
| University of the Western Cape | Department of Statistics and Population Studies | Graduate | Advanced Risk Studies |
| University of the Western Cape | Department of Statistics and Population Studies | Undergraduate | Analytics I |
| University of the Western Cape | Department of Statistics and Population Studies | Undergraduate | Analytics II |
| University of the Western Cape | Department of Statistics and Population Studies | Undergraduate | Statistical Programming |
Why to consider joining SAS Talent Connection?
SAS certifications and SAS Academic Specializations help foster connections between young students and companies. Read the article to learn more.
Aviwe Luwaca
Graduate from the North-West University, Master’s degree at the Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics (BMI)
During my studies, I received comprehensive SAS training that laid a strong foundation for my career in analytics. I developed skills in data preparation, SAS SQL, SAS Macros, and credit risk modelling—where I learned to build scorecards using Base SAS.
The hands-on experience with tools like SAS Enterprise Miner and SAS Viya allowed me to build and deploy predictive models with confidence. This training proved invaluable during my industry project with ABSA’s Home Loan Collections department, where I developed a predictive model to support real business decisions.
Beyond the technical skills, the training gave me the confidence and knowledge to succeed in job interviews, making my transition from university to the professional world smooth and rewarding.
Werner Van Zyl
Graduate from the North-West University, Master’s degree at the Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics (BMI)
SAS has been a huge help throughout my studies and the start of my career. Its user-friendly interface and powerful functionality made it easy to learn and apply. For my master’s project at Capitec Bank Ltd, one of South Africa’s largest retail banks, I built multiple scorecards to predict the probability of default for short-term loans. Using SAS Viya’s Model Studio, I was able to develop and deploy these models efficiently and effectively.
SAS’s extensive library of built-in functions made data manipulation and modelling much simpler, allowing me to focus on learning and solving real-world problems. Because I was already trained in SAS at university, the transition from the classroom to the workplace was smooth and stress-free.
The fact that SAS is used in both higher education and major financial institutions like Capitec shows just how valuable it is to learn and master this platform.