Posted on December 13, 2011
73 Matriculants attended the December BizSchool Programme hosted by the Gordon Institute of Business Science from the 3 – 14 December 2011. The mission of BizSchool is: “to equip young people to enter the world of work with the attitudes, skills and knowledge required to excel and be fulfilled”. It arose from a desire to facilitate the transition from school to work, and thereby to help address the problem of unemployment and the lack of basic business and financial skills in South Africa’s out of school youth. The December BizSchool Programme, now in its fourth year, is BizSchool’s flagship programme. It is a programme for matrics who, due to academic or financial reasons, do not have concrete plans for the year after school. The programme focuses on:
• Creating self awareness of delegates’ skills and talents
• Teaching delegates basic life skills for entering an adult world including: budgeting; opening a bank account; using a computer and creating an email address as a few examples.
• Giving delegates job hunting skills including: how to create a CV as well as interview skills. A focus is also on finding the correct career path and delegates undergo one on one psychological career testing and coaching.
• Teaching delegates basic small business and entrepreneurship skills, including preparing a business plan which, if accepted, provides delegates with a loan to host a stall at Jozi Food Market or Market on Main. All our groups received their loans and sold wonderful products at these two markets over the weekend of the 11th and 12th December.
• Encouraging delegates to take responsibility for their lives and creating an attitude of “can and will do!”
Taking place at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, the professional environment exposes the delegates to a professional working environment, requiring them to dress professionally and also to interact and network with the GIBS staff and guests. The programme is run by a team of over 20 adult volunteers who assist with the various presentations, sit on panels, and help with informal mentoring during the programme. Three facilitators and two coordinators (all BizSchool alumni) assist with the coordination, administration and running of the programme. BizSchool also offers a leadership course to BizSchool alumni and 13 BizSchool Alumni were chosen to take part in the leadership course where the practical component of the course is being a small group leader on the December BizSchool programme.
Ongoing mentoring and support is offered to the delegates in 2012 through four alumni meetings where each of the delegates is assigned a mentor for the year.
The BizSchool Career Programme running in July 2012 is for Grade 11 and 12 Learners and assists them with career guidance, study skills, time management and how to look for bursaries and complete application forms for further study.
BizSchool relies on sponsorship and donations and volunteers who want to give something back. If you would like to find out more information on BizSchool or how to get involved please go to http://www.bizschool.org.za/
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