Local entrepreneurs use tech to build businesses during pandemic
The effective use of technology to build a business can be a daunting thought for many young and under-resourced entrepreneurs, but when put to good use, as 15 start-ups from around Cape Town can attest, it is the most useful tool in times like these.
Following a thorough selection process, 15 candidates were selected for a MICT SETA-funded management and IT skills course for small businesses – Entrepreneurship and Small Business (ESB) course – offered in partnership with StellieTech, a blended learning computer training company from Stellenbosch.
“Firstly, I want to thank all the candidates for their hard work,” said Dylan Evans, StellieTech CEO and programme coordinator. “The skills the candidates attained are at a world-class level, and it has been amazing to watch them thrive by using their new skills to already take their businesses and professional lives to the next level.
“The main focus of this programme is to equip candidates so that they can effectively use technology and its available tools to build sustainable businesses or to get employed. We set up the course structure to meet the corporate demands of the fourth industrial revolution and we are very proud of what we have achieved together.”
A diverse group in composition, the candidates come from areas like Macassar, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Khayelitsha, Athlone, Blackheath, Strand and Klapmuts to name a few.
While StellieTech was conscious of where the candidates came from, they were more interested in the potential the candidates showed. Some only had a business idea and some came in with one idea and ended up redefining their whole business idea as the course progressed.
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This is a success story for all these entrepreneurs, for StellieTech and the MICT SETA because they are all invested in this programme and seeing it succeed is an indicator that South Africa has more than just the potential. Another pleasing thing is the diversity in the group; their businesses and personalities.
Stellenbosch’s Tracy Wagenaar is a proud owner of Smart People Solutions, a human resources service that offers biometric checks such as criminal checks, and other administration and human resources services. She has been working from her father’s garage since her business began operating just a little over a year ago.
“The course was really amazing,” said Wagenaar, “and the content was practical and you could implement some things in your business right away, so that way you could see your business develop.”
Echoing Wagenaar’s sentiments, Khayelitsha’s Matthews Mfubu who owns Fullpage Media and Communications, a public relations and media company, added: “Just being able to integrate technology to what we do is very important and the skills we picked up during this programme have helped us a great deal.
“A lot of us leave this place with our businesses in a better shape than they were and that’s the whole idea of learning; to keep improving and becoming the best versions of ourselves. We are all grateful to StellieTech and the MICT SETA for a great opportunity.”
