The Allan Gray Makers Inter-College Entrepreneurship Competition is an important program to develop entrepreneurial talent among TVET college students from South Africa’s 50 TVET institutions. This competition, sponsored by the Allan Gray Foundation and Future Managers, provides a unique opportunity for students to display their company ideas and entrepreneurial talents. It promotes creative thinking and the development of long-term solutions to real-world challenges, encouraging young South Africans to innovate and become entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurship competitions at False Bay TVET College are critical for encouraging entrepreneurial thinking and building a proactive mindset among our students. These events provide an excellent opportunity for students to pitch their business ideas or existing companies to a panel of judges and peers. They act as a catalyst for change, allowing aspiring entrepreneurs to propose their ideas, potentially win prize money for their firms, and turn their ideas into profitable businesses.
The AG Makers TVET Annual Entrepreneurship Competition is more than just a competition; it represents the concept of action-oriented entrepreneurship. Nafeesa Dinie, CfERI manager at False Bay TVET College, agrees: “By encouraging students to transition from job-seeking to job-creation, the competition fosters the development of an entrepreneurial attitude and helps turn feasible ideas into sustainable businesses. Participants are mentored through the stages of entrepreneurship via a structured sequence of learning activities, stimulating innovation and propelling a national movement of future company leaders and creators.”
Participants came from eight TVET colleges: False Bay, Northern Cape Urban, Northern Cape Rural, Boland, West Coast, South Cape, Northlink, and the College of Cape Town TVET. Students from various backgrounds presented unique business concepts to a panel of judges. The winners of the Regional Rounds will go to the National Finals in Gauteng on September 7, 2024.
The competition coincided with TVET Month activities in the neighboring field, generating buzz and contributing to a triumphant celebration of TVET women and regional rounds of student entrepreneurship. Mr. Rashaad Sambaba and Mr. Sethu Klaas of False Bay TVET College were noteworthy contestants, excelling in their respective categories. Under “Everything Stationery,” Rashaad’s business offers economical, sustainable stationery products with flexible payment alternatives to less wealthy populations.