Vodacom partners with Innovator Trust for Youth Entrepreneurship Programme

Mobile communications company Vodacom has partnered with ICT accelerator Innovator Trust to launch a six-month long Youth Entrepreneurship Programme.

In a press release yesterday, Vodacom stated that the Gauteng-based programme, which was unveiled earlier this week on Wednesday (8 November), is targeted at unemployed youth. The programme aims to drive innovation and create employment opportunities.

The first cohort of the Youth Entrepreneurship Programme is made up of 10 graduates of Vodacom’s Academy Programme

The programme’s first cohort is made up of 10 graduates of the Vodacom Academy Programme (pictured above). The participants will get support around business idea development, business plans and assistance with their business models.

In addition, the programme will cover areas that include: pitching, due diligence, compliance, human resources, financial management as well as  crucial elements of corporate and labour law.

However, Vodacom did not disclose to Ventureburn how much it had allocated to fund the programme, or whether the selected participants would get funding from the company.

Vodacom corporate affairs chief officer Takalani Netshitenzhe said in the same release that the programme is part of the company’s response to assist the government’s efforts to curb rising youth unemployment in South Africa.

Innovator Trust CEO Tashline Joost said that it was important for Vodacom and Innovator Trust to partner in launching the programme as it would assist young skilled entrepreneurs without the business skills required to grow a small business.

Featured image: Youth Entrepreneurship Programme first cohort (Supplied)