by Hugh C.n. Miller | Feb 28, 2019 | Old News
We are offering a unique opportunity to young people who are entrepreneurs at heart and love computers and technology to get a business going.
The ORT SA ICT Entrepreneurship Programme 2019 offers:
Two months of classroom training in:
- CISCO in IT Essentials (certified)
- Microsoft Fundamentals
- Basic Coding
- Business Enterprise Training
- 10 months business support with group mentoring & business sharing forums.
Application Criteria:
- South African Black (male or female)
- Age 18 – 34
- Matric (Grade 12)
- Unemployed
- ICT start up business or interest
- Viable ICT Business Idea
Cost:
No cost; only your commitment.
For more information, please contact: Zarina Parker; 011 728 7154; zarina@ortsa.org.za
DEADLINE FOR INTEREST: 5 MARCH 2019
by Hugh C.n. Miller | Dec 20, 2018 | Uncategorized
Despite the political and economic instability of our landscape, ORT SA gathered momentum almost from the start of 2018 and as we journeyed through the year, ORT SA’s achievements continued to grow and our Vision of ‘Educating for Life’ and Mission of ‘Making People Employable’ becoming more and more tangible. It turned out to be an excellent year!
So, thank you to our donors, funders, suppORTers and followers. We are so grateful for your support. Your willingness to assist has played a vital role in the growth of our organization and goes beyond just pure numbers, as lives are impacted. Without your engagement and partnership we could not have helped 6 800 beneficiaries this year.
Achievements:
59 post matrics gained an average 92.5% pass rate in the Second Chance programme (rewriting of matric mathematics and science). As a result of ORT SA’s intervention, almost half of these students have just completed their 1st year at university!
600 primary and high school pupils in ORT SA’s Extra Mural Coding Clubs, up from 200 Grade 4-8’s in 2017
60 teachers completed the introduction to coding course with ORT SA
200 youth placed in a 1-year work experience positions
6 young women received bursaries to study Education through ORT SA’s affiliate, STET Foundation.
34 unemployed youth learned IT skills including the accredited Cisco IT Essentials
7 high school pupils obtained the Cisco IT Essentials certification
15 Disabled youth get a chance at learning how to run their own business
1285 people participated in an eclectic variety of talks and interesting events which took place at the ORT SA Academy in 2018. This includes an art exhibition, a ‘storytelling’ workshop, digital workshops, a work summit for youth, business training, captains of industry in the ORT SA Boardroom: Simon Sussman (Woolworths), Sylvester Chauke (entrepreneur), James Teeger ( Oppenheimer Trust),
1000 pupils celebrated Mandela Day with ORT SA and Sage
320 teachers trained in Mathematics
2408 pupils assisted in Mathematics in class by ORT SA Facilitators
450 high school pupils trained in New Venture Creation (to start and grow sustainable businesses)
323 Mentors for small businesses
47 new small businesses joined the ORT Jet training programme
TOTAL 2018: 6800
Other exciting happenings:
- A whole new look for ORT SA – a rebranding exercise in accordance with World ORT
- An historic affiliation agreement signed between the SABJE and World ORT
- Overseas visitors and overseas visits for ORT SA affiliates
- Fundraising events such as the first ever Spinnathon ™ in SA and the 45th ORT SA Golf Classic
- ORT SA archives and library organized by a volunteer librarian.
The NGO space world-wide is becoming increasingly more difficult to navigate. In South Africa, Education receives the most CSI funding which makes the competition fierce for non-profits. But with your assistance, we are up for the challenge in 2019.
Marcelle Ravid
Marketing and Communications Manager
ORT South Africa
by Hugh C.n. Miller | Oct 29, 2018 | Uncategorized
While South Africa is considered an entrepreneurial powerhouse 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? Crucial skills that can be taught for the betterment of entrepreneurs include information gathering, organizational skills, rational decision making and oral communication skills, to name a few.
ORT SA continues to upskill aspiring entrepreneurs of all levels. Just ask ORT SA’s skills training facilitator, Rugare Gapare. He says that giving these youngsters business enterprise skills provides the opportunity for them to gain the relevant and necessary skills and tools and does so through experiential learning.
Some participants are active business owners and the benefits of these courses
Learning work ethics and etiquette, marketing and customer care
are life-changing. Self-improvement is key for those wanting to become entrepreneurs. This group showed 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.
Contact us on: info@ortsa.org.za or call 011 728 7154
