- Nashua Kopano and Gauteng City-Region Academy (GCRA) have announced they will be offering on-the-job ICT skills development, as well as bursaries.
- The bursary programme has also been expanded to bring male students into the fold as well.
- To date, Nashua Kopano and GCRA have helped fund nine students since forming the partnership in 2019.
Since 2019, Nashua Kopano and the Gauteng City-Region Academy (GCRA) have been in partnership to help learners study by providing bursaries. Today, the pair have announced an expansion of that partnership.
In addition to bursaries, the pair will help to develop on-the-job ICT skills. This will be accomplished by working with business partners to place students in internships where they will develop on-the-job skills while also gaining invaluable work experience.
“Funding to pursue studies and entry-level experience remain significant barriers to entry to the workplace for all too many young people in Gauteng. Through this partnership, we aim to not only help talented youths from underprivileged backgrounds to pay for their studies but also to equip them with workplace experience that helps them to kickstart their careers,” managing director of Nashua, Chris Kruger said in a statement.
To date, the partnership has provided R500 000 in funding to black female learners with nine having received bursaries. The partners have also announced that they will be funding black male students as well. Half of the funding will go to women and the other half to men.
Furthermore, the partnership has been extended to 2024.
“Youth development, skills creation and catalysing socioeconomic opportunities are priorities for the Gauteng Provincial Government. We are pleased to work closely with Nashua Kopano on an initiative that is helping to enhance our province’s competitiveness and improve people’s lives by building skills, creating employment opportunities in the fast-growing ICT sector,” says chief executive officer at GCRA, Percy Moleke.
The GCRA bursary programme is open to all qualifying youth, with particular preference given to youth from Gauteng, who wish to study for an undergraduate and/or post-graduate programme at an accredited and registered Post School Education and Training institution in South Africa. The bursary covers the full cost of the course, with conditions, as stipulated in the bursary contract.
Applications for 2024 aren’t currently open, but we recommend you bookmark the GCRA website and check back for when they open.
