Pretoria- A centre for entrepreneurship that will promote entrepreneurship education, training and development has been opened, the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) said on Tuesday.
The dti, in partnership with the Ekurhuleni West College, launched the Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE) at the college in Katlehong.
“It is important to note that these Centres share the dti’s vision of supporting economic growth with equity and employment creation and the belief that entrepreneurship promotion is at the core of economic growth stimulation,” said Deputy Minister Elizabeth Thabethe.
The Ekurhuleni Centre is the product of a five-year Memorandum of Agreement between the dti and the Ekurhuleni West College where the institution is funded by the department to implement entrepreneurship courses.
Targeted students at the centre will comprise current and former students who are unemployed and also disadvantaged individuals from communities within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
“This intervention bears evidence to our commitment to ensure that small businesses and black businesses specifically, progressively increase their participation in the economy and their contribution to the broader development objectives of the country,” said the deputy minister.
Thabethe said that the strategic collaboration with the college signifies the intention to provide the much needed link between entrepreneurship education and technical skills as provided by FET colleges.
“Further, our partnership with the college also bears testimony to the fact that collectively we seek to develop, promote and improve the culture of entrepreneurship among students and the community at large,” she added.
Helen Ntlatleng Principal Ekurhuleni West College said the centre is fully operational.
“We will play our role in pursuit of uplifting the community of Katlehong by ensuring that we churn out well-equipped, technically astute and competent entrepreneurs. I hope this place will be treated as a source of hope by our community,” she said.
Programmes offered at the institution will help develop the students’ proficiency in practical skills of waste management and welding. Students will also be provided with knowledge and understanding of entrepreneurship and the establishment of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises. - SAnews.gov.za
