Posted on December 09, 2011
The Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) has partnered with the Goldman Sachs Foundation to train women entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs in Gauteng will receive academic training at GIBS, funded by the foundation, investment and securities firm Goldman Sachs. A total of 300 women entrepreneurs are expected to benefit from the programme by 2013 through the four-month course which will cover entrepreneurship, business strategy, financial management, people management, marketing, supply chain management, computers, negotiation and leadership skills. The women will also network with business leaders.
Applications will open on January 20 2012 for women who are in business with an annual turnover of between R300 000 to R5-million. A commitment fee of R3 000 will be required from all participants who are chosen through a selection process. The Goldman Sachs Foundation started the programme in 2008. It operates in 22 countries with the intention of empowering 10 000 women entrepreneurs globally. Yesterday, Yogavelli Nambiar, director of the programme, officially introduced the initiative to women entrepreneurs at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto. "We are looking for women who are traditionally under-served. These are women who would not have access to business school education, women from a lower socio-economic level. "The people we will be reaching out to will primarily be black, but we cannot say no to someone on the basis of race," Nambiar said. She could not say how many jobs would be created through the initiative. "We are not looking for women with just a business idea, but growth-orientated businesses where a woman is not just looking to enrich herself, but will create a larger enterprise and jobs," she said. Nonhlanhla Rakale, New Heights Skills Development and Management Consulting Director at the square, said skills for women entrepreneurs were critical for their growth. "A lot of black women entrepreneurs did it for survival, with just technical skills and no management skills. They can produce, but do not know how to market, manage finances and draft employment skills," Rakale said. Rebecca Ndlovu, 64, owner of Rebb's and Girls Florist in Emndeni, Soweto, said: "I struggle with bookkeeping and I need to improve my advertising skills to grow my business".
For more information on the 10 000 Women Certificate Programme click here
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