The Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative (CiTi) is running a free 10-week Youth in Business programme, aimed at equipping young entrepreneurs from Cape Town with ICT skills.
Since its inception in 2010, CiTi has trained thousands of young South Africans for the tech sector, through its various skills development programmes in Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town, held in line with CiTi’s vision to build a future-fit, inclusive society through technology and innovation.
From January 2020, business-savvy youth from Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, Mfuleni and surrounding areas will have the opportunity to participate in in-depth, hands-on learning experience, using tech tools to help their businesses grow, create jobs and stimulate the economy.
The training which will be hosted at the Khayelitsha Bandwidth Barn, situated in Lookout Hill, will see three cohorts, each comprised of 35 youth-owned businesses, being introduced to a tailored range of digital programmes and platforms including cloud computing, online marketing, social media for entrepreneurs ,e-commerce and design thinking, to help support their business activities.
Other areas covered within the programme will include admin, finance, accounting, tax, graphic design, document management, digital marketing, social media, HR, project management, legal advice, payments, banking and more.
“The modules will be taught by knowledgeable facilitators with years of experience who themselves have implemented these tools in their businesses,” explains Fezeka Mavuso, manager of the Khayelitsha Bandwidth Barn.
“As a result, these young entrepreneurs will benefit from a network of highly skilled facilitators and mentors with real experience. It will help them to become successful entrepreneurs by providing them with a platform to implement efficient systems and processes, through the effective usage of tech products and services that enable growth, sustainability and room to scale. Growth in their businesses holds the possibility of not only assisting in their revenue generation capacity, but also in enabling the creation of job opportunities for others in their communities.”
The main challenges facing young local entrepreneurs, according to Mavuso,are meeting compliance requirements, access to markets and funding.
The young entrepreneurs will also take part in an online programme that will run for 10 months to help them improve their entrepreneurial skills and build their businesses.
In addition, the participants will be exposed to networking opportunities with other businesses, industry experts and coaches to assist them in growing their businesses as well as attend other ecosystem events and networking opportunities.
To qualify for a spot in the Youth in Business programme, applicants must meet the following criteria:
● Entrepreneurs must be aged between 18 and 35;
● Businesses must be 100% black youth-owned;
● Businesses must be operational (i.e. not in the ideation phase);
● Entrepreneurs must reside in the following locations: Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, Mfuleni, Philippi, Langa, Delft, Eerste River, Macasssar and surrounding areas;
Applications close on Friday, 20 December 2019.To apply applications must submit their applications on www.citi.org.za and follow the Khayelitsha Bandwidth Barn Facebook page for news and updates.
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