uMfolozi TVET College launches Centre of Entrepreneurship at the RBIDZ Technohub
The Centre of Entrepreneurship provides the Youth in the region of Umhlathuze
municipality with facilities, services and network of professionals to realize their entrepreneurial dreams.
The entrepreneurs will be able to enter new and competitive markets which will have a greater impact on job creation and a multiplying effect on the economy. The centre’s concept can be described as a platform which provides opportunities for collaboration and exchange between individuals, academics, public and
private sector organisations.
The hub is designed to foster innovation, connect great minds and help create collaboration. It will become a nexus point for young people and offers co-working facilities, mentorship and coaching,
contextual design workshops, boot camps, competitions, hackathons and networking opportunities.
A demand driven incubation program
will support high-potential technology start-up companies.
Objectives
Community building: The centre will provide a space and logic for technology and business meetups, community development strategies, and communication channels and also strengthen the network with local and international partnership.
Awareness creation
The centre will run numerous events, which will be a core focus of the centre and its activities. Informal networking events include entrepreneurship days, open house day, investor pitching days and other dynamic and exciting events. Corporate partners as well as youth groups will also be welcome to hold events related to business, capacity and community development at the centre. Events open to the local media will also be a way to showcase products and services launched at the centre to the greater public.
Business Incubation
The objective of the main training programmes will be to teach basic and advanced entrepreneurship and business knowledge as well as soft skills. Services will include professional workspace
for start-up teams, skill trainings in business and marketing; Coaching and mentorship opportunities, Competence assessment and support, access to business networks and support as well as business
development services.
Talent Pool
The private sector can benefit in several ways from a platform like the Centre of
Entrepreneurship as its incubation activities will build and advance the skills and experiences of the Youth through access to the talent pool for various business sectors. Various established companies and organizations can find the appropriate expertise sourced from the centre’s community.
Location
The Centre of Entrepreneurship is located in the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ). RBIDZ,
a business entity of the KZN provincial government, is a world-class, fully serviced industrial estate. This prime industrial business and trade hub attracts export-oriented investment in what is one of the leading Special Economic Zones. Linked to the international deep-water port of Richards Bay and with prime rail and road access, this IDZ is indeed a portal to the world
Originally published at Algorhythmlab.
