Telkom Foundation today launched its Entrepreneurship Programme aimed at up-skilling young business-minded individuals to start and grow their businesses.

 

The programme will be starting with Gauteng, Free State and the Northern Cape this year. It is envisaged that similar initiatives will occur in other provinces.

 

The Foundation partnered with Continuing Education at the University of Pretoria to implement the entrepreneurship training programme for 350 youth and women delegates. Candidates have been selected from databases of various government agencies and other organizations working with entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs.

 

The training programme is aimed at different levels with varying criteria. The Telkom Foundation funding accommodates 100 unemployed youth graduates in Gauteng to receive Entrepreneurship Development training and mentorship; 100 unemployed youth with no businesses in the Northern Cape to receive Business Start-Up training and mentorship; 100 small business owners in the Free State to receive Basic Entrepreneurship training and mentorship; and 50 business women in Gauteng to be trained and mentored within the Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme.

 

The training duration for the different programmes ranges from 5-10 days, and mentorship, which is support given to candidates after training, ranges from 30-50 days.

 

Telkom Foundation Head Sarah Mthintso says fighting unemployment is the broad aim Telkom Foundation adopts when it supports small business development initiatives. It especially focuses on helping to eradicate unemployment of youth, graduates, and women.

 

“Entrepreneurship is an important vehicle towards job creation and it is for this reason that the foundation is investing in empowering entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs with the requisite skills and knowledge needed to venture into this area,” says Mthintso.

 

The training programme is well researched and is set to make a meaningful, sustainable impact for the candidates.