Top-ranked biz school offers free training

Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu delivering the keynote address at the launch of the Gordon Institute of Business Science’s Enterprise Development Academy in August.

Gauteng business owners looking to grow their business can now get free practical training at one of the country’s leading business schools.

This, after the Gordon Institute of Business Science’s (Gibs) launched its Enterprise Development Academy in August.

Delivering a keynote address during the opening of the academy – at the Pretoria University’s Mamelodi campus – Small Business Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said entrepreneurs needed support to grow their businesses.

“If we are to make an impact on job creation, the common problems faced by small businesses will have to be addressed,” said Zulu.

The academy’s launch follows the success of Gibs’ Goldman Sachs 10 000 Women Certificate Programme launched in 2008.

The programme aims to equip women entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses.

In May the UK’s Financial Times – a global benchmark for business education providers – ranked Gibs as the top South African and African business school.

Enterprise Development Academy managing director Yogavelli Nambiar says the academy’s training programme aims to provide business owners with the skills needed to grow their businesses and create more jobs. She says many business owners struggle to grow their businesses because they lack practical business knowledge and information.

The academy will address this through custom-made training, which is made up of workshops and boot camps for leadership training.

Business owners in the manufacturing, engineering as well as agro-processing sectors can now sign up for its different training workshops.

Through partnerships with large companies, the academy will provide practical business training, coaching and mentorship for periods ranging from three to 12 months.

Gibs staff will also assist with classroom training on business planning, marketing and commercial skills development at the university’s Mamelodi campus.

On being considered for a scholarship, micro enterprise owners must have been running a business for more than one year on a full-time basis and be generating sales of at least R300 a day.

Established small business owners who wish to apply must be based in Gauteng and have a turnover of at least R300 000 each year.

Nambiar says each business owner must demonstrate that they have the potential to grow.

They must also be willing to pay a commitment fee of R200 for micro enterprise owners and R1 500 for established business owners.

This fee is refunded after each participant has completed the training.

Applications can be submitted online via Gibs’ website www.gibs.co.za. The academy’s next take-up of established businesses will target women who run construction firms.

Gordon Institute of Business Science’s (Gibs), , , Yogavelli Nambiar

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