Regent Business School launches transformative, free online skills development programme for Grade 11 & 12 Learners across Southern Africa

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Fostering economic growth, social stability, and the overall wellbeing of a society relies on essential elements such as youth development and job creation. Regent Business School is proud to announce the launch of its innovative Level-Up Initiative, a free online skills development platform aimed at addressing the current and future skills needs in Southern Africa. This transformative domain is meticulously designed to empower Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners, equipping them with the knowledge and tools necessary to excel in their educational journeys and future careers.

The purpose of the Level-Up initiative is clear: to bridge the gap between traditional education methods and the dynamic demands of the 21st-Century environment. By offering free online courses the platform aims to provide learners with the essential skills required to navigate the challenges of the modern world.

“We live in an ever-changing world where new skills and knowledge are vital for personal and professional growth,” said Vikesh Rampadarath, Associate Director at Regent Business School. “Through the Level-Up Initiative, we are dedicated to empowering the youth of Southern Africa by providing them with access to high-quality, interactive online courses that are aligned with the CAPS curriculum. These courses are designed to develop essential traits, foster entrepreneurship and prepare learners for the opportunities and challenges brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). We believe that by investing in education and skills development, we can create a brighter future for the entire region.”

The Level-Up initiative will provide access to free, interactive online courses across three categories: Essential Traits, Business and Entrepreneurship, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Each course is carefully curated to ensure that learners extract maximum value, and, upon successful completion of a course, learners will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.

Enrolment for the Level-Up Initiative is open to individual Grade 11 to 12 learners as well as schools who want to enrol their learners. Interested participants can register via the dedicated registration page where they will create a username and password. After completing the registration, learners will receive an email to activate their accounts, granting them access to the free online courses.

One of the key features of the program is the interactive CAPS aligned online courses, which will allow learners to engage in high-quality educational content at their own pace. Interactive in-lesson tasks and quizzes further enhance the learning experience, providing learners with the opportunity to reinforce their understanding of the course material.

Regent Business School’s Level-Up initiative again illustrates its commitment to empowering Southern African youth with the essential skills and knowledge required to excel in a rapidly evolving global business environment. By aiming to create a significant positive impact on education and skills development, the programmes on offer seeks to unlock the full potential of our youth, preparing them for success in their future endeavours.

The Level-Up Platform can be accessed via this link: https://levelup.regent.ac.za/

For more information about Regent Business School’s programme offering, please visit  https://regent.ac.za/

Emmanuel Madzunye, Senior Software Development Lecturer at redAcademy is on a mission to uplift and change the lives of youth in the tech industry

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CAPE TOWN – From a small boy in a village in Limpopo to one of the most recognisable names in the IT education space, Emmanuel Madzunye, Senior Software Development Lecturer at redAcademy, is driven by a singular purpose: to change and uplift the lives of young people so that they may go out into the world and do the same for others.

“If I look back over my life,” says Madzunye, “I remember moments that set me on a path to achieving my dreams. These moments were fundamental in me achieving what I have, being a senior lecturer at an innovative skills and experiential learning hub that specialises in teaching coding and technology skills, while also completing a doctorate in IT. All those years ago I started as a boy who didn’t even know how to turn on a computer! It is a great accomplishment but one that would not have been possible without important figures who changed my life. It is my passion to pay this forward,” he says.

redAcademy collaborates with South African businesses facing a massive skills gap in the country to build a sustainable tech talent pipeline for the future. Madzunye says it was easy to choose redAcademy as they share a common purpose. “redAcademy is giving young people an opportunity to change their lives. I wanted to assist these young people who are being given this chance, to guide them to make the most of the incredible opportunity,” he explains.

Madzunye says that when he left school IT was synonymous to a computer, nothing more. After travelling to Tshwane to start studying, a lecturer at TUT introduced him to another type of IT, one that held the promise of opportunity, one that makes lives easier and solves important problems. The seed was planted. Against all odds, he completed a diploma at TUT while also being a successful tutor, drastically improving the pass rate which had been very low. This is where the seed of lecturing IT was born.

“I was interviewed to lecture first year students on the condition that I completed a B-Tech degree at TUT. Within a few years I had done my masters and now I am reading towards my doctorate. I’ve worked with TUT, CPUT, Rosebank College, Damelin and Unisa. In fact, I jumped on board with Unisa with their online courses all the way back in 2012 and only stopped recently to give everything to redAcademy and our students, which we call Sprinters,” he explains.

Madzunye, who is warm by nature and always up for a laugh, is also serious about excellence. “Back when I was studying my family, who came from a difficult background, always made a plan to enable me to study. Knowing this fact pushed me, and this sits with me until today. Of course, I encourage laughter and fun, but expect 100% commitment and accountability from others as much as I expect it from myself.”

Zoning in on his passion, and purpose in life, Madzunye says there are areas in the country where the digital divide risks keeping talented and dynamic people out of the IT industry. “I always use any opportunity I get to share the gift of IT and career advice to people who don’t have that institutional memory to fall back on.”

He says that seeing eyes light up inspires him. “It started during my tutoring days and continues now at redAcademy. There is beauty in seeing someone start from a base of nothing, and then go through moments of clarity to the point where they become competent and good at software development. It is indescribably rewarding.”

When asked how he ended up in Cape Town with redAcademy, Madzunye says the methodology of teaching on the job, as it were, is one of the most effective ways to fast-track IT careers, and that this attracted him to join the academy. “Theory is obviously important. But imagine I gave you all the theory about how to drive a car. Would you just be able to climb in and drive? There’s no better learning than doing, and so the experiential learning we do at redAcademy literally sprints young people to being career-ready because we match theory with real-world practice, on real projects, in real businesses.”

The experiential learning he refers to is the methodology where redAcademy teaches young people only the relevant and up-to-date coding languages that are in demand in the workplace today, and then immerses them in live projects at businesses, alongside seasoned IT professionals.

When asked what legacy he would like to leave behind, Madzunye answers by citing examples from his life: “Sometimes I get tagged into a LinkedIn post, or bump into former students, and when they tell me about how they’ve progressed in their IT careers thanks to the start I gave them, it makes me immensely proud and happy. As long as I can keep changing lives through lecturing, mentoring and exposing young people to IT, I will be doing what I was born to do.” 

ENDS/

Five Work Ready Skills Every Graduate Will Need

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By Cengage Student Ambassador Jayshree Hanragee, a postgraduate student at the University of Pretoria. Jayshree has a Master’s a degree in Anatomy and is currently pursuing her PhD to realise her educational aspirations of a career as an academic. One of the learning tools used by Ms Harangee at the University of Pretoria is Cengage’s SAM (Skills Assessment Manager) which provides online student training and assessment for Microsoft Office and computer concepts. Students observe, practice and actively apply skills live in the Office application, preparing students with the skills they need for academic and professional success. Flexible reporting tools, automatic grading and instant student feedback promote student self- study and help to save instructors’ time. The University of Pretoria use Cengage’s SAM to teach their AIM course. Students use SAM weekly during face-to-face lessons to learn Microsoft Office skills including Excel, Word and PowerPoint which are vital in preparing them for their future endeavours, both at university and in the workplace.

Here, Ms Harangee talks about her experiences in transitioning from student to working professional and shares her top tips for developing work-ready skills.

From my years as an undergraduate through to working while studying for my Master’s degree, combining study with full-time employment has undoubtedly been a challenge. During this period I have seen many candidates for job roles from all walks of life, each of them diverse in their knowledge, talents and abilities.

The work environment can seem like the survival of the fittest and it has been claimed that recent high school and college graduates are underprepared to enter the workplace when they finish their studies.

The qualities that establish trust, cultivate a leadership mindset and produce productive results are the most valuable in today’s world. So, as a young and inexperienced professional, what can you do to maximise your success when entering the world of work? Here are a few pointers to help you on your way to being job-ready.

  1. Be Realistic

Expecting to get a high-level position at beginners stage is generally an unrealistic goal when searching for your first full-time role. It’s fine to start at the bottom. Finding your dream job in today’s modern and dynamic job market requires flexibility in your approach. You must be willing to attempt new strategies that will help you cast a wide net and boost your chances of being employed. It is obvious that digital technology has had a significant impact on recruitment trends, so take advantage of it.

  1. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

In the workplace, skills serve as a sort of trade. The more skills you have, the more valued you will be as an employee. Knowing how to effectively collaborate with others and play to people’s strengths is a valuable skill for success when you initially start out. The more you understand how to function in a group, the better you’ll be able to perform as a unit. Without teamwork skills, you’ll be at a disadvantage within the company.

  1. Communication is Key

Another important aspect to consider for your goal of employability is being able to communicate effectively. Always communicate what you want to say in a concise, accurate and suitable manner, and aim to maximise the efficacy of your communications by using methods appropriate to the situation.

  1. Focus on the Solution

Employers reward employees who can work through problems on their own or as part of a team by outlining difficulties, brainstorming options, discussing ideas, and ultimately making sound judgments. Therefore, developing effective problem solving is one of the key attributes that can make you stand out from the crowd.

  1. Confidence Breeds Success

Confidence may appear to be a personality feature, but it is a talent that can be learned, improved and developed just like any other. You can boost your confidence in certain areas simply by practicing; the more you do something, the more confident you will become at it.

Regardless of what industry you desire to work in, these top five skills can help you to perform more effectively in your search for success. Good luck.

About Cengage Skills Access Manager (SAM)

Cengage’s SAM (Skills Assessment Manager) provides online student training and assessment for Microsoft Office and computer concepts. Students observe, practice and actively apply skills live in the Office application, preparing students with the skills they need for academic and professional success. Flexible reporting tools, automatic grading and instant student feedback promote student self- study and help to save instructors’ time. The University of Pretoria use SAM to teach their AIM course. Students use SAM weekly during face-to-face lessons to learn vital Microsoft Office skills including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

About Cengage

Cengage EMEA is part of Cengage Group, a global education technology company dedicated to removing the barriers to higher education and providing every student with access to quality teaching and learning and a brighter future. Focussed on making education more accessible, sustainable and affordable, its product portfolio includes online learning platforms that offers students everything they need in one place – textbooks, eTextbooks, homework, study and assessment tools, and resources to develop employability skills to help them transition successfully into the hugely competitive global workplace. 

Cengage EMEA sells its products and services to over 52 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, covering a diverse cultural range, each with its own particular and varied curriculum needs for educational solutions.