Young people and Technology transfer: Future of the world

by Anwen Mojela

Technology transfer contributes directly to technological innovation by supplying the private sector with new technologies that have commercial potential. Technology transfer (TT) refers to the process of conveying results stemming from scientific and technological research to the marketplace and to wider society, along with associated skills and procedures, and is as such an intrinsic part of the technological innovation process.

With technological advancement in South Africa, virtual meetings are held, and paperless systems and wireless networks have been introduced and this has led to fast delivery of jobs and profit maximisation. This has helped in boosting the economy as well.

While Covid-19 disproportionately threatened to disrupt the socioeconomic well-being of young people, all was not lost for South African youth. In the wake of that challenging time, young South Africans found ways to contribute to developing solutions for their local communities and the nation as a whole.

They are doing this by mobilising their skills in a range of ways; from initiating prevention campaigns to volunteering in high-risk areas to sewing masks using affordable, environmentally friendly materials. Trade and industry minister Ebrahim Patel had repeatedly expressed both encouragement and support to have products such as face masks manufactured within our country. His call has been met by massive appetite by many, mostly young entrepreneurs, who are flooding social media with their creative and colourful face mask designs.

The young cohort of the South African population had also harnessing technology and innovation to design solutions geared towards flattening the Covid-19 infection curve. For example, 32-year-old Mabopane-based Rorisang Mpete, co-founder of Loo Afrique, and colleagues have developed a range of innovative potable handwashing stations for non-reticulated settlements.