Empowering the youth through access to digital and entrepreneurial skills

Co-founded by Sibongile Dladla, Nondumiso Dube, and Bongani Dube, the centre officially launched last month. As part of the non-profit organisation Purposeful Life, its mission is to guide youth up to the age of 35 years in their career journeys and to foster the next generation of local entrepreneurs.

Centre offers skills training and entrepreneurship programmes

The centre will provide community members with access to skills development training and a professional workspace environment with free Wi-Fi to launch new ventures as well as a boardroom for business meetings.

Skills development training will be based on three programme pillars including entrepreneurial programmes, technology programmes and school programmes offering career guidance and mentorship.

Entrepreneurship programmes kickstarted on 28 February and offer courses in launching a new business, business ethics and how to grow businesses. The centre’s technology programmes will then commence on 4 April, offering training in technopreneurship, Microsoft digital literacy and Internet-of-Things. In future, the centre hopes to offer cyber security, robotics, coding, networking and data mining training to the youth of Ekurhuleni.

“As an organisation, we are committed to walking the entire journey with local entrepreneurs, and to helping youth discover their passion and their purpose,” said Dladla, co-founder of the centre, adding that they are grateful for the donation, which will help visitors at the centre do research, create CVs, complete career assessments and access online training.

The Cross Trainer CEO Mark Frame commented: “We are pleased to be able to lend a helping hand to those in need, especially for this type of initiative with the potential to forge new career paths and opportunities for the next generation.”

“It’s a privilege to play even a small role in the larger story of future entrepreneurs and business leaders, and we look forward to seeing what lies ahead for the centre.”