Monnica Gumede and Moipone Dinala show off their certificates for the Bake the Profit course
Kgaugelo Morake is 30 years old and has worked as front desk manager in a bank in Centurion and as a beauty therapist. Now, she’s studying office administration at GetOn Skills Development in Atteridgeville, Pretoria.
“I heard there are vacancies in office admin,” she says. “That’s why I enrolled in this course. Also, I believe that with office skills it’s possible to start a business.”
The office administration course is a 12-week foundation that costs R800 and is Skills Education Training Authorities accredited. It covers the monitoring of incoming calls (diverting, where necessary to various departments), processing of emails, organising of meetings, client interaction, managing a filing system and ordering of office supplies.
Norah Sebai completed the basic computer course and office administration course earlier in the year and is now working as a PA to the GetOn Training Manager. “Before I enrolled I didn’t know how to switch on a computer,” she says. “I didn’t know how to do admin, or typing. I didn’t know how to send emails or use the internet, and most importantly I didn’t know how to use Excel. Now, I use all these skills every day.”
Administration is not the only course on offer at GetOn. What began with a handful of students 10 years ago is now a thriving skills development programme, nurturing students from mostly impoverished areas in entry level skills like point-of-sale for retail, barista skills, bake for profit, entrepreneurial training, basic computer skills and office administration.
Studies are subsidised, but students do contribute a nominal fee. “It’s a hand-up, not a hand-out,” says Brenton Cryer, managing director of GetOn. “We don’t have a high drop out [rate]. The students are committed as they’re invested. Also, there’s a code of conduct that is strictly adhered to — just as is in the business environment, as that’s what we’re building. It also ensures learners understand what they’re entitled to in a business environment and equally, what’s expected of them.”
All students complete an unpaid work placement at the end of their tuition. Many of these facilitated through GetOn’s partners, including the Mr Price Jumpstart initiative and The Foschini Group, through which many point-of-sale retail internships take place, and the National Youth Development Agency.
Other partners include the Learn to Earn NPO, Nedbank Private Wealth and ArcelorMittal. GetOn’s premises are located on Arcelor Mittal land in what was once a disused building. “ArcelorMittal heard we needed premises,” explains Cryer, “and they let us utilise a building rent free as part of their CSI contribution. The location is perfect as we’re accessible not only for residents of Atteridgeville, but we’re close to the train station, so we get learners from as far afield as Mamelodi and Johannesburg.”
Last year GetOn Skills Development Centre trained a total of 1 085 students; 276 students completed job specific courses, of whom 64% were economically active within three months after completing their course.
This year they aim to train a total of 824 students with 70% of the students completing job specific courses and becoming economically active or placed into internship programmes shortly after they finish the programme.
“In the last financial year we placed 64% of our students within three months,” says Cryer. “Ninety-two percent of those stayed employed for over 12 months.”
“Part of the 2020 strategic plan is expansion,” he adds. “GetOn is a success story, with transparent results addressing critical issues in South Africa (job creation, entrepreneurial development, innovation), while building a sustainable model that can impact youth in the future.”