The Promise of Leadership

by marketing | Nov 10, 2025 | blog, COVID19, News @ ORT, Old News

Our community recently celebrated the Investec Jewish Achievers Awards. It’s an energetic, high-profile event that puts a spotlight on leadership. But it also forces us to ask: what is leadership, really?

After being nominated in the categories of Business Leadership and Woman in Leadership, I didn’t walk away with a trophy, but I did walk away with something lasting: perspective.

Going through the process, the forms, the panels, the questions, forced me to slow down and reflect on what leadership really means, beyond the spotlight and the title.

I realised leadership isn’t a glamorous title or a dazzling role. Most days, I stare at a problem, a budget, an overpriced resource, or a challenging project that’s deviating off its original plan, and just say, “Okay, now what?”

It’s the hard calls that rarely make headlines; telling a school we can’t supply computers because they haven’t met project requirements. It’s explaining to funders why the robotics kits cost more than planned, or sitting with a staff member and giving feedback that’s uncomfortable but necessary.

It’s acknowledging the realities we face: that some young people turn down opportunities because they expect stipends, not seeing that our programmes offer far greater long-term opportunity than a short-term pay check. It’s continuing to show up anyway, believing that with the right exposure, mentorship, and persistence, lives can change.

Most of all, leadership isn’t about having the right answers. Often, it’s about asking the hard questions. The most difficult one is always: “How do I keep my promise to our mission and our calling?”
Leadership is about keeping a promise- a promise to South Africa’s youth and communities.

It’s a promise that a young girl in a rural school can discover she loves coding, and all she needed was a computer and the chance to learn.

It’s a promise to the talented young men and women who can’t find a job despite all their certificates, degrees, and diplomas. It’s the promise that we will build the bridge to take them from unemployment to a real career.

And it’s the promise to the small business owner, just trying to build a life of dignity, that they won’t have to do it alone, that we will provide the support, mentorship, and network to help them succeed.

Leading ORT SA has been my way to keep that promise. It’s my personal mission to connect opportunity with potential across South Africa’s diverse communities.

Leadership, I’ve learned, isn’t about standing at the front. It’s about standing with people, in uncertainty, in hard decisions, in the work that doesn’t make headlines. It’s about staying committed when it’s complicated and finding a way forward; it’s about the daily “now what?” It’s the hard “no” and the hopeful “yes.” It’s the messy, difficult, and deeply rewarding process of turning a promise into a reality.
That is what truly matters, not the title but our work, one kept promise at a time.

Breaking Barriers: Grade 6 Innovator Wins Silver at Eskom Expo

by marketing | Aug 29, 2025 | blog, COVID19, News @ ORT, Old News

This Women’s Month, we celebrate the brilliance, determination, and potential of young girls who are shaping the future of science and technology.

Meet Sheila Mawelele, a remarkable Grade 6 learner from Rebonwe Primary School, whose passion for innovation has already begun to shine on prestigious platforms. Sheila proudly represented her school at the 2025 Eskom Expo for Young Scientists – Regional Round, held at Wits University. Competing alongside top learners from leading schools, Sheila impressed the judges with her confidence, creativity, and scientific excellence.
Her achievement? A Silver Medal and Certificate of Achievement – a testament to her hard work and a symbol of what’s possible when talent is nurtured with opportunity.

Sheila’s journey is a proud moment not only for Rebonwe Primary School (one of our ORT SA Coding & Robotics program alumni schools), but for her entire township community.
As we honour women across the nation this August, we salute young achievers like Sheila who are boldly stepping into the future — one innovation at a time.

Job Hunting Feels Like a Dead-End? Lets Talk

by marketing | Apr 30, 2025 | blog, COVID19, News @ ORT, Old News

Let’s be real: looking for a job right now feels overwhelmingly difficult. It’s like trying to win the lottery — blindfolded, in the dark, during a thunderstorm.
And if you’re feeling like it’s just you, trust me, it’s not. Right now in South Africa, nearly 1 in 3 people are unemployed. And it’s been like that for a while.

Recently, I spent some time in KZN chatting to young people who applied for ORT SA Big Data Training programme.
And let me tell you — these weren’t just any applicants. Degrees, diplomas, side hustles — these guys had it all. Smart, hungry for opportunity, and ready to do whatever it takes to level up.

We had about 100 applicants… but only 25 spots.
Which made me wonder — what about the 75 others?
The ones who clearly have the potential but keep getting stuck in the “no work, no experience” cycle?

The scary part is, when you’re desperate, you start grabbing anything that kinda-sorta looks like experience. It could be another learnership here, an internship there, or a YES placement for basic wage…
But the problem?
You end up stretching yourself so thin across different fields that your CV looks random, not focused.
And when companies ask for real work experience, you don’t have much to show. This is true even though you’ve been busy.

I met one young woman who’s deep into coding. She is doing her Computer Science advanced diploma at night. She is willing to show up every day just to add another skill to her name.
Her passion is real.
But piling on more qualifications without real-world experience can backfire if you’re not strategic.

So here’s the move:
Stop chasing only certificates. Start chasing experience.
You don’t have to wait for a fancy job title. Go out and create your own work experience:

Help small businesses in your area with any skills you have. These can include tech, admin, social media, or design. You name it.

Here’s some options:

Volunteer your skills at a local business.

Help out at a startup or NGO.

Offer to build websites, help with admin, run social media — whatever matches your passion.

Document EVERYTHING you do. Set up a LinkedIn profile or a GitHub portfolio and show it off.
Network with people. Comment on posts. Share your ideas. Get noticed.

Because here’s the truth:
Experience is your secret weapon.
And in a world where everyone’s hustling for a piece of paper, real experience will make you stand out.

Final word?
You’re not stuck. You’re building.
You will not see the results right away. Every skill you sharpen, every connection you make, and every project you finish is stacking up behind the scenes.
Your future self will thank you.
Stay sharp. Stay real. Stay hungry.