While South Africa is considered an entrepreneurial leader in sub-Saharan Africa, its weakest link in terms of its entrepreneurial ecosystem does happen to be start-up skills. This poses the question, what skills can local youth be taught, in order to improve their appetite for entrepreneurship? Some crucial skills that have been recognised that can be taught for the betterment of entrepreneurs include information gathering, organizational skills, rational decision making and oral communication skills just to name a few.
Though the number of youth entrepreneurs in South Africa may have dropped, it is notable that more than 50% of all entrepreneurs are youth.
ORT SA skills training facilitator, Rugare Gapare is training aspiring entrepreneurs, giving them Business Enterprise skills at the South West Gauteng College in Soweto. Five participants are active business owners and six were youths who were on work experience attachment at the college, who had previously done some business training. The benefits of the programme provide the opportunity for the youth to gain the relevant and necessary skills and tools and manages to do so through experiential learning. The opportunity presents life-changing self-improvement for those wanting to become entrepreneurs and knowledge to better position others in the workplace. The group was a vibrant mix of knowledge and experience. Judging from their comments, the beneficiaries were certainly advanced by the training in various ways and are going to put into practice what they learned from the sessions.
Previously used corporate clothing was also offered and nearly everyone took something, citing that they needed it themselves or for their relatives.
If anyone has clothing to donate for these young people starting out in the careers, please let us know: info@ortsa.org.za or call 011 728 7154
