Johannesburg May 2 2019. RelatED Education and Gateway International Education, a subsidiary of Gateway Capital, have partnered to provide critical work readiness training for young South Africans. With unemployment among the youth at 52.4% on the rise the role of the private sector of the economy is becoming critically important.

The partnership between long-time operator RelatED Education and Gateway International Education, a subsidiary of Gateway Capital, is a key development in the area of training in the retail sector.

This partnership, between a company with a successful track-record of work readiness education in the wholesale and retail industries, with an organization boasting an enviable history of investment in private education, promises to create a combined entity that will greatly increase the opportunities for young people to enter the work environment.

Since its inception in 2011 RelatED Education has trained over 8 700 learners and nearly 4 000 managers, impacting over 35 retail groups across more than 250 communities throughout South Africa. Their courses range from NQF2 12-month learnerships to NQF 5 supervisory and management training programmes.

These are currently recognised by the Wholesale and Retail SETA, and RelatED aims to extends its training to other industry sectors as well. The organisation is currently one of only three retail training organisations to have received QTOC accreditation.

“We see a particular need to prepare our young people for the world of work. While full time jobs may be scarce, work of some description can be found generally for those equipped with a basic skill set,” said Leigh Blochlinger, CEO of RelatED Education.

Of more than 10 million South Africans between the ages of 15 and 24, nearly one third are currently not in employment, education or training. Young people in remote rural areas generally do not have access to networks that connect them to employment opportunities and have little knowledge of work.

“We intend to accelerate the number of training opportunities particularly for young people. Having trained over 8 700 young learners over the past six years, RelatED’s extensive experience combined with Gateway’s expertise in administration, contract management, and examination puts us in a winning position,” Blochlinger explains.

Gateway was established in 2007 with the objective of developing and expanding world-class international-standard education in Africa. The organisation has built an enviable track record of investment in private education, including a founding investment in the largest Cambridge curriculum distance learning institution in South Africa.

From Gateway’s perspective this investment in RelatED is the company’s first venture into vocational education.

“Our goal is to invest in and help grow premium-calibre institutions in the tertiary education sector. We firmly believe that an ever-expanding wave of truly educated young people will bring about real change in our country and on our continent,” states Marcus Oshry, CEO of Gateway.

Blochlinger is excited about the prospects of the combined group. “South Africa faces huge challenges in youth unemployment. But, by working together, RelatED and Gateway aim to make a meaningful impact by offering even more young people the real chance to work. It’s a model that could, and should, be rolled out across other sectors of the economy,” she concludes.

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RelatED Education impacts the South African economy one life at a time through continuous work-ready education from internships to tertiary. Their desire is to provide dynamic skills development programmes and build capacity in our South African employee base. Established in 2010, RelatED began its journey servicing South Africa’s retail industry. In the past eight years, they have successfully graduated over 8700 learners, equipped 3742 senior managers, and impacted over 35 retail groups within 250 communities throughout South Africa.

When they started they had a dream to create the next generation of retail managers, and in turn the next generation of social and economic transformers capable of impacting their communities and the economy as a whole. This is why they passionately drive their training programmes, attracting a broad spectrum of learners from South Africa’s largest retail groups, and now the services sector.

Issued on behalf of RelatED Education.