Fostering a culture of entrepreneurship among TVET students

Contributing to the alleviation of unemployment, Allan Gray Makers, in partnership with the Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges (TVETs) sector, is driving the first National TVET entrepreneurship competition. The result is a three-phase national pitching competition to identify student entrepreneurs. In turn, this will identify sustainable business ideas for potential investment opportunities.

Kicking off the internal rounds, an electronic pitching session was hosted at the False Bay TVET College, Westlake Campus, with student participants from four of the five campuses.

Winners of the internal rounds proceed to the Regional Inter-College Entrepreneurship Competition. Thereafter, winners will compete at a national level and gain access to business exposure opportunities and stand a chance to win a share of R100,000 in prize money.

False Bay TVET College through their Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator is proud to announce that the following small businesses will proceed to the regional competition.

Category: I have a business idea

First place: Christian Lesch – CDR Recycling, household and community waste recycling
Second place: Bryanne Mopp – Pro-Tech, security application, and emergency smart band

Category: I have a registered business: Early start-up

First place: Felix Chimbinyu – FiiD Create, skills development consultancy
Second place: Muzzammiel Ariefdien – Custom Cleanz, household cleaning services

Category: I have a paying customer

First place: Buhle Lindwa – Lindwa Communications, digital marketing agency
Second place: Nkgetheleng Bocheletsana – Prince Mosia ECD, 24/7 childcare services

First place winners received a cash prize of R7,000 each and second place winners received R5,000 to reinvest in the business.

Creating awareness and opportunities to enhance the attractiveness of starting your own business, competitions of this nature create a safe space to experiment with ideas for products or services. They are especially beneficial to students who intend to pursue innovation, product development and business-oriented services. Coupled with learning and coaching resources, participants can confidently pitch their business.

Linda Dhladhla, in an interview at the event said: “The National Competition seeks to identify student entrepreneurs who are doing amazing work in this space and give them an opportunity to expose their business ideas. In South Africa, we have a high unemployment rate and there are not many opportunities for employment. We at Allan Grey Makers are encouraging students to pursue entrepreneurship as a career choice. We are showing them how to use their education as an opportunity for them to pursue entrepreneurship, all in the pursuit of the eradication of poverty.”

The Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator, centre manager, Steve Reid said: “I am thrilled at the student participation we received, it is proof that we are inculcating a culture of entrepreneurship amongst our youth. More important, however, is the impact that some of the business ideas being pitched today could have on real-life problems like crime, pollution and poor nutrition, all wonderful ideas, that will need support for implementation.”

Judging at the inter-college competition is done by an independent panel of adjudicators ranging from members of entrepreneurship agencies to media and industry experts each with an eye for potential. The regional competition is scheduled to take place on 29 July 2022. 

The Regional Inter-College Entrepreneurship Competition is endorsed by the Department of Higher Education and Training and sponsored by Allan Grey Makers and Future Managers.

For more information, please contact the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Rapid Incubator centre manager, Steve Reid on 021 201 1215 | 083 378 448 | az.gro.yabeslaf@dier.evets.