TECHNOLOGY NEWS

SA Innovation Summit competitions call for entries

27 JUN 2016 | SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT |  PDF    

This year, the SA Innovation Summit is again giving inventors, innovators and established companies the opportunity to enter their prototype or product into the Inventors Garage and/or SA Innovation Legends Pitching Den competitions. This year also introduces the Match and Invest platform where entrepreneurs can pitch to investors directly in order to secure funding for their growing business.

©alphaspirit via 123RF

Pitching Den competition

This competition is open to high-growth startups, established companies and large corporates who are driving innovation on the African continent. “The Pitching Den was designed to recognise companies whose innovative tech-enabled solutions have the potential to make a significant positive impact on the growth of the continent,” says summit director, Audrey Verhaeghe. 

The overall winners will be announced at an award ceremony and stand a chance to win an overseas trip to meet international investors at Slush, a Finnish Innovation Conference supported by TEKES, PR exposure worth R200,000, the opportunity for IP consultation from Spoor & Fisher, matchingmaking and acceleration, and more. Through their respective social innovation platforms, the SAB Foundation will support the best social innovation with a prize worth R50,000. 

The Innovation Edge will be looking for opportunities to invest up to R1 million in ideas that have the potential to radically change the early life experiences of children, giving the best possible start in life right from the start. In addition to funding, the Innovation Edge could offer innovators with promising ideas the chance to attend a week-long incubation bootcamp offered by {code}bridge in Cape Town.

Entries to the Pitching Den are made online. Finalists will be invited to pitch their business to a panel of judges at the main conference.

Inventor’s Garage competition

This competition is open to anyone with a working prototype or product from proven concept to early commercialisation – whether a kitchen or garage inventor, a business or a seasoned innovator. The first round of judging will then take place and those selected as semi-finalists will be invited to showcase their products or prototypes at the SA Innovation Summit’s Market on the Edge. This offers exposure, advice, mentorship and possible deal-making. The second round of judging happens at the Market on the Edge with initial entries also received online.

Both competitions close on 30 July 2016.

Matchmaking and international exposure

“The goal of the Innovation Summit this year is innovation acceleration - scaling and impact for ideas that make a difference,” says Verhaeghe. “We are also collaborating with the Swiss Start-up Summit this year, which will most likely lead to the SA Innovation Summit receiving far greater media reach in Europe – meaning even more exposure for competition winners.” 

The SA Innovation Summit main conference takes place this year from 21-24 September at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Johannesburg. 

Visit the website for more information.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING NEWS

How companies can use learnerships effectively

15 JUN 2016 |  

According to Richard Rayne, CEO of iLearn, companies that are obliged by law to contribute to the country's Skills Development Fund (SDF) through paying the mandatory skills development levy will find a number of important benefits if they include learnerships in their annual Workplace Skills Plan (WSP).

© Kirill Kedrinski – 123RF.com

A learnership is a work-based learning programme directly related to an occupation or field work that leads to an accredited NQF qualification. They are managed by the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). Businesses looking to undertake skills development either for their own talent pipeline or to contribute towards education in this country can enter into learnership agreements with their current employers or with unemployed candidates.

“Considering how skills development has become such an important aspect of the B-BBEE scorecard, companies can use learnerships effectively, not just for talent development and management, but also to boost their B-BEE levels,” Rayne points out. 

Priority element of the B-BBEE scorecard

Skills development is now a priority element of the B-BBEE scorecard providing companies with opportunities to earn 20 vital points. A business that fails to achieve a 40% minimum threshold of those skills development points is penalised on their rating. 

Rayne explains: “You can claim eight points if you invest 6% of your payroll on training Black people. That used to be 3%. If you engage 2.5% of your employees in learnerships and internships you can earn four points; and then gain another four points if 2.5% of your workforce is made up of Black unemployed learners. Then there’s an additional five points to be claimed if you are able to employ those unemployed learners at the end of their learnerships programme. So, it’s really important to invest wisely in relevant and quality learnerships that result in the development of specific skills to the level that would be an advantage to your company.”

Rayne founded iLearn 15 years ago, and today it offers a wide range of innovative and leading corporate learning solutions that span the ONSITE instructor-led, ONLINE and blended learning methodologies. “We are excited at the way that learnerships help to build an effective workforce and connect learning to actual career paths. In these times, when both talent management and B-BBEE levels are so crucial to business, you have a fantastic opportunity through learnerships to groom unemployed people for potential recruitment within your organisation.”

Reimbursements, grants and tax rebates

Investing in learnerships also provides companies with opportunities to capitalise on various reimbursements, grants and tax rebates. For instance, employers who pay the skills development levy to SARS, who are registered with their SETA and submit their WSP and Annual Training Report each year, do qualify for further reimbursements on their SDL spend which can be used towards the cost of the training.

These benefits aside, the core purpose of learnerships is, of course, to ensure that the business is empowered by a relevant skills base over the long term. “The unique advantage of learnerships is that they are work-based and delivered onsite in a company’s environment,” concludes Rayne. “They can, therefore, be specifically and strategically designed, and then embedded within the context of your organisation’s talent development objectives and goals.”

Learnerships are typically implemented over a 12-month period with the learners attending an average of three days of training each month in addition to completing their assessments.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING NEWS

Transforming the MAC industry through education

15 JUN 2016 |  BY: BEVERLEY KLEIN

On Thursday 9 June in Cape Town and on 13 June in Johannesburg, the Red & Yellow School hosted information sessions to address the changes and updates to the B-BBEE Sector Code for the South African Marketing, Advertising and Communications (MAC) industry. BEE is focused on transformation, and that's exactly what the Charter is setting out to achieve.

Dionne Kerr, CEO of Siyakha Implementation Partners, gave a thorough presentation on the importance of transformation, BEE and creating a country that is filled with opportunities. The venue was fitting, as Kerr stated that the marriage between transformation and education is key, and change is important from both a national and industry perspective.


Kerr then moved to the topic of localisation, and how this speaks to more than simply BEE and really is the undercurrent that drives transformation legislation. Localisation focuses on three key areas: local content, capacity building and job creation.

The MAC industry on both agency and client side, needs to examine all the aspects of their business, and identify ways in which to engage local manufacturers and suppliers, instead of leveraging international companies.

Localisation stays true to the “Proudly South African” ideal; one which agencies need to adopt in order to invest in development and ultimately succeed. 

The issue around education

Education plays a major role in our development on a personal and professional level. It gives us knowledge, skills and confidence to pursue our future careers, as well as provides us with the necessary life skills we need to succeed. However, South Africa is faced with the enormous challenge of providing adequate employment opportunities to educated and skilled youth, which, when unavailable, leads to despondency. South Africa has the third highest youth unemployment rate in the world, and this needs to change.

Socio-economic development is a wonderful thing, giving the youth a chance to study and gain experience at top colleges in South Africa – but it’s more than just a once-off investment. Paying for tuition is not enough, as there are still the costs of transport, accommodation, food and so on to consider when investing in young South Africans. The philosophy around education needs to change to ensure that students are settled and able to sustain themselves (and their families if necessary) during their studies, or they run the risk of being forced to drop-out due to a lack of funds.

Education to drive transformation

Katharina Scholtz, head of academics at Red & Yellow, updated us on some of the skills development programmes taking place. Skills development matters, because it offers us meaningful, sustainable ways to invest in transformation and accumulate B-BBEE scorecard points. While it can’t completely replace aspects of the scorecard like ownership and management control, investment in skills and socio economic development in the form of education add considerably to a long term transformation strategy.

Skills development can be designed and rolled out internally (for existing staff) and externally (for suppliers, small enterprises and those looking to enter the industry). This can be done through short interventions such as workshops, medium term solutions like online and blended course programmes and longer term investments such as learnership funding, bursaries for degree and diploma candidates or part-time bursaries for existing employees.

At Red & Yellow, the focus is on offering solutions that demonstrate the philosophy of investing in the whole student, not only while they’re studying but also once they’ve graduated and are seeking employment or work experience. While the formal qualifications do matter enormously, their transformation focus is on practical skills and work readiness. The Red & Yellow Springboard Programme is a great example of this, and has seen 43 graduates and 32 currently completing their workplace internships through the programme. Learners who complete this programme successfully could enter into a Red & Yellow diploma, extended degree programme or be absorbed into the industry. Of course, this is dependent on continued holistic support from the industry in terms of funding, mentorship and the creation of job opportunities for interns. 

Without this proper support, these candidates will fail to thrive, they will not accumulate the skills and experience they need, will struggle to integrate socially and professionally and ultimately this will threaten our transformation efforts. The MAC Charter updates focus on this, which means that businesses within the industry can address the changes through investing in education.

Businesses need to understand the MAC Charter updates in order to play an active role in industry transformation through education and socio economic development initiatives.

Get in touch with Red & Yellow to discuss how we can help you achieve your transformation and education goals. Email: info@redandyellow.co.za. Tel.: 021 462 1946 / 011 067 3400.

PRIMARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION NEWS

What you need to know about the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Scholarship

16 JUN 2016 |  

Allan Gray Orbis Foundation's High School Scholarship is available to learners who demonstrate the potential to excel academically and show financial need. The scholarship will provide the brightest Grade 6 learners across South Africa with the opportunity to map their future.

Image Source: IDEATE

What you need to know:

The Scholarship covers full high school tuition and boarding fees. In addition, Scholars will receive allowances to subsidise travel, stationery, prescribed books, toiletries, school uniforms, civilian clothing, pocket money and extra-mural activities. Scholars also participate in the Foundation's Development Programme, which aims to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. 

The Foundation believes that a solid education is the starting point to any entrepreneurial journey and therefore chooses to partner with schools that have a track record of excellence. Successful scholars will have the opportunity to attend one of the Foundation’s placement schools. 

Application criteria:

• Academic requirements: Applicants must achieve 70% or higher in Mathematics and English and an average of 70% in both Grade 5 and Grade 6 

• Evidence of entrepreneurial potential: 

- Intellectual imagination: enjoys being creative and innovative
- Achievement excellence: sets high academic and non-academic standards for self
- Courageous commitment: must be courageous and determined, brave and persistent
- Spirit of significance: wants to impact others and make a difference
- Personal initiative: prepared to take action to address challenges 

• The applicant must demonstrate financial need and must be a South African citizen.

How to get an application form:

• Visit Allan Gray Orbis Foundation to download an application form, or 
• SMS “SCHOLAR and your fax number or email address” to 36777 to have an application form faxed or emailed to you (SMS is free)

Applications open on 17 June 2016.

PRIMARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION NEWS

GIBS youth survey reveals political interests of SA youth

16 JUN 2016 |  

The annual Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) youth survey of high school students (average age 17) revealed that, despite what the older generation may think, youth are following political issues rather than specific politicians. This is in sharp contrast to the past when politicians came first.

Image Source: Musina Online - Students and Career Guidance Teachers from 10 local schools attended the GIBS Career Expo thanks to De Beers

Contrary to the perception that youth are not interested in politics, the survey revealed that an average of about 33% of respondents were quite interested in politics. Over 3/5 of the respondents believed that people should follow politics in order to become more informed about how policy-makers make decisions that affect the country as a whole.

The survey includes responses from close to 1,000 Grade 11 and 12 learners from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and schools around Gauteng who took part in the survey at the annual GIBS-MTN Career Expo in Johannesburg as part of the GIBS Spirit of Youth (SoY) high school leaders’ programme. 

Nearly half of those surveyed (48.8%) believed that South Africa’s future was bleak and that certain interventions such as political engagement were needed to change that sentiment. With 1/3 (33%) acknowledging that national politics somewhat affected their future, a resounding 60% believed that people should pay attention to what was happening in South African politics as this had an impact on their future. It would seem however that the youth had mixed feelings about views expressed in parliament and how representative of communities these views were. 

Compared to 2012 survey results where 74% of the respondents surveyed then believed that South Africa would be a great place to have a successful career, this year only 48.8% still hold onto that positive sentiment. Respondents in 2012 believed 2016 was going to be a better year than 2012 with regards to job prospects and economic growth, however, it would seem ongoing jitters about an imminent global meltdown, South Africa’s negative growth prospects and China’s declining growth are among the issues these youth are basing their sentiments on. When asked about furthering their studies after high school, only half believed they would have access to quality tertiary education that would adequately equip them for the job market. 

Carmelita Davey, senior manager of the GIBS Centre of Leadership and Dialogue which runs the SoY programme said, “The results show that there is need for creation of platforms which allow for on-going engagement with the country’s youth. It is the responsibility of established leadership to seek the youth’s viewpoint and opinion on issues that matter, and not only when a crisis hits. Doing so will create a more inclusive culture thereby ensuring a pipeline of credible and authentic future leaders for our country.”

Jadey Bosman, a manager who runs this programme added that while the survey tried to touch on as many issues as possible, it was clear that further creating opportunities for positive youth engagement was needed in order to ensure a pipeline of worthy, high quality future leaders. She also emphasised that the survey and the year-long SoY programme has revealed that the youth are no longer willing to sit on the side-lines and wait for things to happen to them. They want to take charge and have their voices heard to achieve the dream of having a more socially cohesive society. If their voices are silenced and side-lined for too long the consequences may not be palatable to leaders in business, government or society.

HOSPITALITY NEWS

#YouthMonth: Upskilling youth is key to opportunities in the tourism and hospitality industry

17 JUN 2016 |  BY: KIM VILJOEN

Youth unemployment remains one of the most significant challenges facing South Africa, with young people three times more likely to be unemployed than their elder counterparts. The latest youth unemployment and health report from Statistics South Africa revealed that of the 19,7 million young people in the country, only 6,2 million were employed.

©langstrup via 123RF

While most sectors do not have enough jobs available to fill the demand of young job seekers, others struggle to find workers qualified for the jobs they do need to fill. Furthermore, in a low-income economy such as South Africa, many cannot afford the time to upskill through tertiary institutions due to the pressing need to provide for themselves and their families. 

The South African government has identified the tourism and hospitality sector as a major creator of jobs and has encouraged young citizens to consider a career in tourism. As of July 2015, the government has even put into place various training and skills development programmes to enable young people to enter the tourism industry. 

Educate24 is an online portal that offers courses on a wide variety of subjects across all the major industries, and included is ‘Introduction to Customer Service’. The course is designed to explain the importance and benefits of good customer service, how to determine what customer’s needs and expectations are and how to deal with unhappy customers. The course is written simply and clearly, to suit the needs of people at any skill level. It can be done in just six weeks, or less, depending on the pace of the student. It is also affordable so people from different economic backgrounds stand to benefit. 

For employees or job seekers in hospitality, having a proven soft skill such as customer service is invaluable. Not only will learning such skills help make job seekers more employable but showing the initiative to acquire a qualification despite a possible lack of opportunities in the formal tertiary education sector, can make the difference when a potential employer is flooded with CVs.

South Africa’s hospitality sector is poised for significant growth over the next few years due to the growing tourism numbers. Despite economic uncertainty, PricewaterhouseCoopers released statistics that said the total number of foreign visitors to South Africa is steadily rising each year. In addition to the growing number of opportunities, the hospitality industry is also well-resourced to offer meaningful work and career development opportunities to employees. There are many entry-level jobs available with plenty of room to grow professionally and personally. 

For young South Africans unsure of which industry to join, or how to move further up their career ladders, online courses such as Educate24’s Customer Service course, is a solid way to ensure they are a step ahead and are able to show a skill set that makes them the ideal candidate.

PRIMARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION NEWS

Parents integral to children's education

1 JUN 2016 |  

Research shows that parents have an important role to play in a child's education and the more involved they are, the more successful their children will be.

© langstrup – 123RF.com

Magadi and Matheatsie are participants in a programme, introduced by BrainBoosters and the Kagiso Shanduka Trust, aiming to increase parents’ involvement in their children’s education. 

Magadi tells of how her son, Matheatsie, a seven-year-old learner in Grade 2 at Moipone Primary in the Free State, completed a sum by himself for the first time. “It took me by surprise. We’d been playing maths games together, counting on his fingers, for a long time – and then, all of a sudden, he showed me how he had developed this new skill.

“It was a wonderful programme. At first, I felt a bit odd playing games – it seemed a bit childish. However, helping him with his schoolwork brought us closer together. It helped me see things from his point of view; before, I would get impatient if he did not grasp a concept immediately. Now I see exactly what goes into his learning. It’s made a real difference to his schoolwork, too: he’s now excelling at school, and he enjoys his lessons more.”

Sancha Hein of BrainBoosters is not surprised to learn that Matheatsie benefited significantly from the programme. “Parent involvement in their child’s development and formal education is key to a child’s achievement and performance in their education. 

“This is why BrainBoosters started focusing on supporting parenting skills and knowledge about their children’s development as far back as 2010. Kagiso Shanduka Trust’s (KST) partnership with BrainBoosters began when the latter was called upon to implement catch-up maths and reading programmes, implemented at several schools. 

KST is a collaboration between Kagiso Trust and the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation (formerly Shanduka Foundation), which was formed to support government in fulfilling its mandate in education through a holistic approach, explains Kagiso Shanduka Trust Operations Manager, Kaya Nyati. The Trust elected to focus on 16 schools in the Free State district of Motheo as part of this, and it was these schools that participated in the BrainBoosters programme.

Hein reports that the programme started parent meetings, comprising 16 icebreakers (usually games hosted on the sports field), followed by an in-class demonstration of the BrainBoosters programme. Thereafter, parents would play the two board games that were supplied as part of the parent packs given to each school. Back at home, the programme required parents to assist their children with tasks detailed on a homework sheet. Tasks had to be completed every day for 12 weeks. 

US research backs up results

Hein notes that, internationally, parent participation of this nature has been shown to have a massive impact. She cites US research, based on the responses of participants in an American initiative called Parents as Teachers, which noted that with extra parental involvement, children from disadvantaged backgrounds displayed the same level of school readiness as children from more affluent areas. They further experienced fewer remedial issues, their homes contained more books and their parents were inclined to be more up to date with their vaccination schedules. 

Parents involved in the KST BrainBoosters programme seem to have gained similar benefits. Hein has received feedback from many parents, observing how the programme has taught them how to help and support their children. Some say they have even learned more themselves from taking part in the initiative. They have also noticed a difference in their children: with some indicating their children are now less shy, and take pride in being the first to raise their hands in the classroom. They see children who feel more confident, display greater self-esteem and are eager to show off their new skills to their parents. Almost all parents have commented on the improvement they have seen in their children’s schoolwork – often, because they now see that learning is fun.

“The school readiness of every child is determined by the level of their parent’s involvement,” Hein says. “Yet, parents often don’t understand the importance of putting solid foundations in place before their children go to school.”

Steps in participation

So, how can you, as a parent, get more involved in your child’s education? After all, in a time-pressured society, this is not always easy. The answer is heartening: parents need not brush up on their algebra and long division in order to make a lasting impact. In fact, something as simple as eating healthily during pregnancy can be effective, as it ensures appropriate brain development. 

As children grow older, arranging play dates can give them a chance to develop social skills and learn how to interact with other children. Interactive games can also have a positive impact: a simple game with building blocks will expose children to new ideas and help stimulate their thinking, which, contributes to creativity, vocabulary and fine motor development. 

It is also a good idea for reading to be part of an everyday routine. More than simply boosting a child’s vocabulary, this will instil a life-long love of books and a curious mind – true gifts that will help them navigate the increasingly complex world we live in. Finally, parents are encouraged to engage with their children actively and take time to have proper conversations with them. Listening to what children have to say will teach them about respecting others, and will ensure they are opening to hearing about ideas. 

Often, a child will remember teachers long after they have left the classroom; but even this dims in comparison to the lasting impression a parent can make in a child’s readiness and attitude to learning.