Business Breakfast Partners
It’s not just about getting the student in the door, it’s about giving the graduating student the best chance at finding gainful employment once they complete their programme. In the case of self-employment, to provide the entrepreneur with market linkages and support to ensure business sustainability.
False Bay TVET College recognises the value of growing partnerships between the public and private sector. Public and private sector industries are starting to see the benefit in partnering with TVET Colleges by being able to bridge the gap in the market of demand and the supply of readily available talent developed by the TVET institutions.
With this in mind, the Innovation and Development Department; comprising Linkages and Partnerships, Work Integrated Learning (WiL) and the Centre for Entrepreneurship embarked on a 360 degree strategy with initiatives to acknowledge and engage with college Industry Partners.
Career and Internship Fair October 2017: Co-ordinated by the WiL Department.
This event took place across all of the five campuses of False Bay TVET College. Determined by the campus programme offerings, suitable companies were invited to engage with the exiting level students in a speed dating style. The five-day exercise saw a total of 42 host employers, who engaged with an estimated 586 students.
Jaco Van Den Heever from Melomed said, “We were spoilt for choice in terms of the number of potential candidates who could take up internship opportunities as soon as January 2018”.
Anneke Roodman of the Department of the Premier’s office also indicated that they were impressed with the level of the Public Management candidates that had been trained at the Fish Hoek Campus.
Preggy Moonsamy of Netcare specified that they were impressed with the training facilities at the Westlake Campus and that they saw an opportunity for staff to be trained to be up-skilled.
“It is through shared experiences and understanding of the sector that a collaborative approach to new trends and training developments can be lobbied for, resulting in a better qualified student being shaped by a current facilitator and curriculum.
Two-fold, not primarily focussed on student placement, the college is looking at ways for employers to up-skill and reinvest in the in existing workforce. Through student placements, deserving permanent members of staff could be relieved to participate in training opportunities. This could intern improve their staff retention and job satisfaction rate creating business marketing opportunities as well as raising the business profile as a preferred employer,” said Faikah Boltman: WiL Manager.
Business Breakfast: Co-ordinated by the Linkages and Partnership Department
False Bay TVET College hosted a Business Breakfast at the Southern Sun in Newlands, Cape Town on 26 October 2017, to acknowledge the value of Public-Private partnerships for student employability, business growth and development in the Western Cape.
The relationship building and network event was attended by 95 stakeholders from 44 Companies. The college has strong relationships with companies from a myriad of sectors, including; ACSA, ESKOM, SAMBRA, Master Builders Association and the City of Cape Town.
The guest speaker, Mr Solly Fourie: DEDAT: Head of Dept, spoke on the Western Cape Apprenticeship Game Changer.
The companies were honoured with a partnership certificate from the College Principal, Mr Cassie Kruger and the College Council Chairperson, Ms Zoliswa Lonja.
“We appreciate the college’s recognition of industry role-players as they contribute significantly,” said Faith Kolala, City of Cape Town
“Excellent morning - great networking opportunities. Delighted to receive this beautiful certificate which we will share with all the participating clubs and then hang it in our District Rotary office in pride of place. Learnt so much about the history and more importantly the future plans, identified additional partnership opportunities, in addition to current support for young entrepreneurs, we also could also find ways to help with apprenticeships and potential links to the new Swartklip campus” - Geraldine Nicol –Rotary International; District 9350. Chairperson of the Rotary District Entrepreneurship Committee.
Ms Christiana Nel; False Bay College Deputy Principal; Innovation and Development elaborates on the purpose of the breakfast engagement;
“False Bay TVET College understands more than anyone the importance of employers in providing workplace experience, internship and employment opportunities for college students and graduates. What’s positive to see is that both private and public organisations are now recognising that engaging a diverse range of young people and opening up workplace opportunities is the only way to assist young people in gaining work experience and thus increasing their employability. And this is being supported by collaboration with industry. We thank all our partners for continued support and commitment.”
Networking for Entrepreneurs: Co-ordinated by Centre for Entrepreneurship/Rapid Incubator
Centre for Entrepreneurship/Rapid Incubator (CfE/RI) hosted an intimate cocktail evening. The purpose of the evening was to introduce external industry and business to the work of the centre and more importantly, expose its beneficiaries to these external stakeholders.
One of the key functions of the centre, is that of Market Linkages. It is imperative that aspiring entrepreneurs build their business idea and model with a real market in mind.
Consequently, the CfE/RI introduced beneficiaries to such markets through as many marketing opportunities. The event hosted ten businesses with possible linkages in mind.
The value and purpose offered to those businesses attending as follows:
Possible Enterprise and Supplier development linkages where investment into the centre could be leveraged and recognised within its BBBEE codes.
Qualifying beneficiaries could step up from enterprise development to supplier development and plug in to the supply chain of the Company.
The centre could also act as a hub where vexing problems within the Company may be offered bespoke solutions through the creativity of the Centre’s beneficiaries.
Additional value was also added through the presence of the Colleges WIL and Partnerships functions on the evening, four of our beneficiaries presented themselves and their business to the audience. Consequently, two of the CfE/RI Beneficiaries were given a media opportunity to share their story on a local community station which was well received by its audience. It is in building ability to present oneself and one’s product, that connection with external parties is strengthened.
False Bay TVET College has five campuses situated in the Southern Peninsula and offers programmes in a multitude of study fields including Business, Engineering, Hospitality, Educare and Information Communication Technology. For more information visit www.falsebaycollege.co.za
