The City of Tshwane and the University of Pretoria are proud to announce the completion of phase 1 of the SMME Capacity Building Project. The management and administration of the project was coordinated by Continuing Education at University of Pretoria Trust (CE at UP).
Since 2009, four hundred and fifty small business owners were trained and equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to establish a sustainable entrepreneurial venture. The delegates will receive their certificates of successful completion from the University of Pretoria on the 26 May 2010 at the Aula – University of Pretoria main campus.
In order to establish sustainable economic enterprises, entrepreneurs need sound entrepreneurial and management skills. In order to create sustainable growth in the local economy an emphasis needs to be placed upon creating entrepreneurial ventures and not small businesses.
Starting and managing a small and medium size business can become complicated if the owner does not have the necessary support structure, systems and information at hand to make the correct decisions. Facing the challenges set by the business environment today, this aspect becomes even more crucial.
The aim of the training programme is to make the challenges set by the business and regulatory environment easier for the business owner by providing him/her with the necessary information and knowledge he/she will need to operate and manage a successful and profitable business that is sustainable in the economy and that contributes to the overall enhancement of the economic development.
According to the 2008 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Special Report, less than 20% of South Africans between the ages of 18 – 64 received training in starting a business.
In light of this and the many other challenges faced by South African entrepreneurs, the City of Tshwane invested R3.7 million in the training programme for the SMME sector. ‘One of our driving forces is making meaningful and visible difference on businesses. We want to see our small businesses growing from small to medium and big profitable enterprises, which have capacity to employ more people and conquering international markets.’ says Caiphus Chauke, Executive Director Local Economic Development.
Deon Herbst, CEO of CE at UP, noted: ‘We are proud to have partnered with the University of Pretoria and the City of Tshwane in this initiative. CE at UP has taken our efforts one step further by sponsoring operational equipment to six of the top performing SMME’s. CE at UP is strongly committed to skills development and community upliftment.’
The six nominees received their business equipment in March this year.
The implementation of the training programmes will ensure that the various levels of skills development and business support needs of the community are addressed in a manner that builds capacity. The city will ensure that these programmes are easily accessible to all beneficiaries throughout the five regions of the city.