Johannesburg, 22 June 2021: The principle of owning real estate to become wealthy has never been more true today than it was back then. Simply think of the many investors who have built enormous wealth and rose up to create their own legacy from it.

The principle of owning real estate to become wealthy still holds true now. In fact, we can make a strong case that it is far truer now than it was back then. When you ask people, who are twenty or thirty years older than you if they would buy real estate at a young age, they're more than likely to say yes. It will help lead you to financial freedom in your future.

Benefits of buying a home in your 20's

The benefits of homeownership are huge—especially when you’re younger. In your 20s, a home is a long-term investment, and if you stay long enough, it can mean building serious wealth over time. Sell the home at a profit later on, turn it into an income-earning rental property when you’re ready to move up, or enjoy fully paid-off housing during your retirement years (though those may be far down the line!)

Homeownership also means:

Consistent, reliable payments – No more annual rent hikes from your shady landlord.

More control to customise the property – Forget “accent” walls. Paint, upgrade, renovate and do whatever you want to your home once you own it.

Great credit – Getting a mortgage loan at a young age can help you establish a solid credit history, which means a good credit score and ample financial opportunities later on.

Tax benefits – Homeownership comes with several tax benefits that can lower your tax burden and increase your annual refund.

You’ll also likely save on monthly costs. Rents have been skyrocketing in most major cities in recent years, with the average mortgage payment coming in well under the average rent. You also have the option of renting your property on Airbnb or other similar sites to make extra cash as needed.

How young is too young to buy a house?

There’s no wrong or right time to purchase a house. Legally, you can buy and own real estate at the age of 18, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right move for every 18-year-old.A home is a huge and expensive purchase, and it’s one you’ll need to live with for years or even decades of your life. At a bare minimum, you will want to wait until you have consistent income, a stable job and a decent credit score, as this will allow you to both get an affordable mortgage loan, as well as cover that mortgage payment month after month while you’re in the home.

What to consider before buying a house in your 20's

Before seriously considering a home purchase, make sure to take into account the full scope of financial factors and other lifestyle considerations.   You should think about:

Your career

How established are you in your job? Do you expect to be there long? Could your career take you out of the area, therefore requiring a move? You want to stay in the home at least long enough to recoup your transaction costs and break even on the property.

Your income

How much do you make? How much of that after-tax income could you afford to put toward housing? Use a mortgage calculator to see how much your mortgage will likely cost, and make sure you’ll have the income to cover that, plus the costs of maintenance/repairs and your regular monthly expenses like utilities, food, phone, car payment and more

.http://www.multinet.co.za/pre-qualify/

http://www.multinet.co.za/calculators/monthly-repayment/

Your future

Is marriage in your future? Kids or pets? Can you afford a home that will accommodate those changes? You’ll want to make sure a home purchase fits with your future life plans and goals.

Interest rates

What are mortgage interest rates at right now? Talk to MultINET Home Loans if you’re not sure on this one and be sure to shop around and compare rates. They can vary greatly from lender to lender.

Before you can close on your dream home, you must understand the steps to buying a house. Navigating the home-buying process can be challenging, but it becomes much easier if you have a plan and a clear path forward.

There is no time like the present to start working on your goals and dreams. When it comes to buying property, the rule is exactly the same: it is extremely important that you prepare for your home buying journey as soon as possible.

You wouldn’t want to find the perfect house only to realise that you forgot major things during your planning stages.

Here are some easy steps to follow on your home buying journey:

Start Your Research Early

As soon as you can, start reading Web sites, newspapers, and magazines that have real estate listings. Make a note of particular homes you are interested in and see how long they stay on the market. Also, note any changes in asking prices. This will give you a sense of the housing trends in specific areas.

Got credit?

The first step is to verify your credit score. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to buy a house cash and you will probably need to get a loan.

Hopefully this isn’t a surprise, but getting a home loan requires a good credit score. It’s a good time to check your credit reports for errors. Remember that improving your credit score significantly can take at least six months to a year, so get started if you need to! By verifying your credit score you make sure that you are clean as a whistle before approaching any institution.

As a South African, you have the right to review your credit score on an annual basis and it won’t cost you a cent!

Start saving

You will need cash reserves to buy a home, and you will need to prove to a lender that you can afford home loan repayments that may be higher than what you currently pay in rent. In other words, start saving now!

Remember that deposit!

For many people, a deposit is regarded as a curse word and often seems like a form of punishment. However, when it comes to buying a house, the deposit can become your best friend. So, take the time to save as much as you possibly can. After all, the bigger your deposit is when buying, the less your instalments will be over the course of time!

Get your documentation in order

Begin to collect documents that you’ll need to verify your finances on the home loan application: payslips, bank statements and, if you have freelance or self-employment income, copies of your last two tax returns.

Go shopping…for a Home Loan

Gone are the days where we have to travel from one bank to another to apply for a home loan only to get shot down and start all over again! There is a wonderful solution that will help you on your home buying journey: a home loan originator such as MultiNet Home Loans.

MultiNet will assist you by applying to several major banks on your behalf, but without the headaches and the fuss. What’s better is that they will automatically find you the bank that offers the best rates and interest on your home loan.

Just imagine all the free time you’ll have to think about decorating that new dream home of yours.

Close the Sale

At closing, you will sign all of the paperwork required to complete the purchase, including your loan documents. It typically takes a couple of days for your loan to be funded after the paperwork is returned to the lender.

Property ownership is more accessible to aspirant first-time buyers who previously could only afford to rent than ever before.  Renters currently could be in a position to buy a home at a lower monthly cost than what they are currently paying in rent.

Now is the ideal time to step up and make your property dreams come true.  The MultiNET Home Loan team is making it even easier for young first-time buyers around SA to step into this new dawn of home ownership. Our technology, expert team and dedication to what our clients need is what gets them a home loan deal that suits their pocket. 

Lennon Monyae, a researcher at the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is making waves on the African continent. An unlikely hero in the youth revoution, Lennon, a young man based in Johannesburg, South Africa has managed to ensure youths from across the continent can sit at the decision-making tables in their respective countries.

The African Union (AU) established the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) after the realisation that Africa will only move forward with the full actualisation of transformative leadership and practice on the continent. The APRM is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by AU member States as an African self-monitoring mechanism. It is often described as “Africa’s unique and innovative approach to governance” with the objective of improving governance dynamics at the local, national and continental levels.

It is no secret that Africa needs to invest in the youth if the continent is to leapfrog developmentally thus youths should be exposed to govenance issues as early as possible. This is the revolution that Lennon is at the centre of. This week he is hosting diplomats, Presidents and youths from across the continent to chart a way forward for youths in the governance space.

When Lennon joined APRM, he noticed that there was no dedicated youth-desk which meant that there was no deliberate focus on youths in as much as APRM implicitly included them. The lack of youth-focused programs gave Lennon a mission.

Through careful lobbying within the organisation he realised that everyone in the organisation agreed with him but there was no-one who was leading the change so by default he became the leader of the "Youth Governance Revolution".

As a direct consequence of  his efforts APRM affiliated countries are ensuring that youths are included in the APRM process and have created local youth chapters that are promoting the ideals of democracy and development.

The APRM has embraced Lennon's crusade and to date have held a successful Africa Month Youth Symposium at the University of Cape Town (UCT). The symposium was characterised by robust debates among the youths and development experts.

Hot off the heels of the UCT symposium, Lennon assisted by his colleagues and backed by APRM, has convened youths from more than 30 African countries in Ndjamena, Chad for the first International APRM Youth Symposium. Among the youths in attendance is Aya Chebbi, the African Youth Envoy for Youth and Edzai Zvobwo, the NEPAD Youth Champion for Agenda 2063.

The APRM will host its inaugural International Youth Symposium from the 1st to the 2nd of July 2019 in N’djamena, Chad. The symposium will be under the patronage of His Excellency Idriss Deby Itno, the President of Chad. The theme for the Ndjamena symposium will be "African youths as a driving force for good governance". https://aprmyouth.org/

"The revolution for meaningful youth involvement in Africa is just starting and as APRM, we will tirelessly work with different stakeholders to achieve this mission", said Lennon as he prepares for the Ndjamena symposium.

To mark Youth Month and recognise the importance of tapping into the powerful insights of South Africa’s youth, Coronation Fund Managers invited 35 finance and business university students to its Cape Town offices for an interactive discussion session with CEO Anton Pillay.

Students from the University of the Western Cape and the University of Cape Town met with Anton and other Coronation team members under the theme #HaveYourSay. During the session, students discussed their experiences and aspirations as a young person studying towards a career in finance and business in South Africa and shared their views on what motivates them, how they see themselves contributing to society and what purpose and values drives their ambitions.

“We are committed to travelling alongside young people in their mission to change the world for the better. They are the future contributors to society and leaders of the country, and their voices are critically important to discussions about how we, as an industry, can support young people as they work towards their future and career. “And I know that it’s not easy for young people today.

The burden of unemployment is still concentrated among the youth, with those aged between 15 and 34 years accounting for 63.4% of the total number of unemployed persons in South Africa. This has to change, and we will continue to be a part of driving this change through our long-term, youth-focused programmes,” says Anton.

Addressing a 2019 Youth Day celebration on 16 June, President Cyril Ramaphosa called on the private sector to create pathways into work for young people who are prepared to learn, work hard and better themselves. Coronation is doing just that through our continued investment in long-term youth initiatives that support education and provide meaningful opportunities for the youth from cradle to career.

Several of the students in attendance at the Youth Month event were part of the Young Investor Programme (YIP) programme at the University of the Western Cape, while others were recipients of Coronation’s Bursary Programme.

The YIP programme aims to bridge the gap between the theoretical knowledge obtained at university and practical work requirements, preparing budding asset managers for the challenges and rewards of the finance and investment industry. In addition to our early childhood initiatives, the Coronation Bursary Programme and the South African Innovation Learning Intervention (SAILI) high school scholarship programme has given 223 university students and high school learners from underprivileged communities across South Africa the chance to achieve their dreams of a better future.

To ensure they are able to bridge the gap between their studies and the world of work, vacation roles and internships are also made available. In addition to education funding, they also receive mentoring and access to support services. Coronation is also a participant in the Youth Employment Services, or YES, initiative, which is a partnership between government, business, labour and civil society that aims to create employment for one million young South Africans over the course of the next three years.

Since its launch in March 2018, the initiative has placed over 18 000 young people in employment opportunities and is providing business infrastructure and support through its community hubs. “We truly believe in the power of our youth and the contribution that they can make to the financial services industry and our organisation. If they are given the right amount of support, they can go on to make real change and have a positive impact on society and our country” says Anton.

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.

-- ENDS --

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.

The Outreach Foundation’s annual creative inter-generational project, Sounds Like You and Me, in partnership with Tswelopele Frail Care, premieres at the Constitution Hill Human Rights Festival on 23 March 2019. 

The project, now in its fourth production, see youth from Hillbrow’s Outreach Foundation and the elderly from Tswelopele Frail Care (also based in Hillbrow), explore music as a way to trigger sweet and bitter memories, and use true  accounts of the sad, joyous, reflective, funny, and at times, obscure and random stories and memories, to create an exciting theatrical experience. 

The show’s director, Gcebile Dlamini, has again assembled a stellar creative team to bring the show to life: Carmen Ho for the dramaturge, Bigboy Hadebe for choreography, and acclaimed African Jazz Pioneer musician, Madoda Gxabeka, as well as Quinton Mamabolo, for music. Together, Gxabeka and Mambolo will bring the nostalgic sounds of Jazz and marimba to the production. 

Over the last three years the inter-generational project has travelled from the Olive Tree Theatre in Alexandra, where it brought young and old to witness the production (for many of the elders, this was the first time they had ever been in a theatre), to PopArt in Maboneng, and to the Emakhaya Theatre at the University of the Witwatersrand (home to many Drama for Life Festivals). It has also travelled to Cape Town to the prestigious 19th ASSITEJ World Congress and International Theatre Festival for Children and Young People in 2017. 

In addition to its premiere on 24 March at the Constitution Hill Human Rights Festival, the project will perform at:  

Hillbrow Theatre - 30th March

South Rand Recreation Centre - 6th April

Tswelopele Frail Care Centre - 13th April

Gerard Fitzpatrick House - 27th April (Still to be confirmed)

Hillbrow Theatre (High Schools) - 17th April

Itlholomeleng Old Age Home (Alex) - Date still to be confirmed

National Arts Festival - July

For more information on the project, contact Outreach Foundation on 011 720 7011 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. ‘Sounds Like You and Me’ are looking for sponsors and support to extend the tour to the National Arts Festival this year. Contact Outreach Foundation if you would like to fund or support the project.

The project has been made possible through the generous support of the Danish Agency for Culture. Outreach Foundation would also like to thank and acknowledge Henrik Haartman, Naghmeh Mahmoudi Kashani, and the C: NTACT team for inspiring this project.  

To view the second production of the project presented in 2017, young@home, go to https://youtu.be/oeMvDVQUp0k

Every music video and every concert have a single common thread that runs between them, dance. We’ve all watched in awe as someone moves perfectly in sync to the rhythm and beats of our favourite songs.

Music feeds the soul and sets your feet ablaze with boundless possibilities. Every moment and every beat allow you to explore movement and sometimes, with a little direction those movements turn into a masterpiece. Delta Webster-Choshi, better known as Delta The Leo, shares her knowledge of dance with youths across various landscapes of South Africa.

Combining her passion for dance with that of children, she continues to give of her time to teach the children at Thusong Youth Centre through her company Live.Learn.Inspire Dreamworks and #ChabaRebone movement. Each class is not simply a lesson in dance but is a holistic approach to life focusing on good health, building character and confidence, team spirit and hard work. Mentored by Delta and business-partner Sherole Webster-Choshi and various guests, the two hope to help each child envision and begin to pave the way to a future that not only sees them being academically groomed but well-rounded young adults. “The aim is for us is to give each of these talented children the tools to follow their dreams and instill in them the belief that their dreams are valid,” says Sherole of their passion for the Thusong Youth Centre.

#ChabaRebone has become more than just Delta The Leo’s latest single; it has given rise to a movement that aims to have people exude their talent (wherever it lies) and show it off for the world to see. “Giving every person who enters the class the room to be their truest selves without care or concern for the opinions of others, for me is a blessing. Helping them find their inner confidence is an experience I cherish as I get to watch them blossom weekly,” says Delta. “The most heart-breaking part of getting to know each of these individuals is to learn that often they attend class on an empty stomach as this is often their only option.”

Thusong Youth Centre could really use your help. If you have cleared out your closet recently or can donate food to assist in providing towards meals, your assistance would be most appreciated. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details.

Join the #ChabaRebone dance workshops:

Every Saturday morning from 11:00 – 14:00 Thusong Youth Centre in Alexandra. All are welcome; young or old, professional and non-professional dancers.

Make 2019 count. Hire interns for your team and give SA’s youth a boost into the tech sector.

Register your company’s interest by visiting www.citi.org.za or emailing us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

On 11 December 2018, in Cape Town at the CapaCiTi campus in Salt River, 340 young South Africans completed the technical training and received their certificates. They are now ready to be placed in tech internships in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

CapaCiTi, the Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative (CiTi)’s Tech Career Accelerator, has been preparing young people for the tech sector for 8 years, in 2018 scaling up to support youth and business in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. Now, they’re inviting SA business to interview these ambitious young future tech professionals for an internship starting in January.

Addressing a rising youth unemployment in South Africa, yet leveraging growing opportunities in the tech sector and for those with technology skills, CapaCiTi’s programmes are accelerated career pathways for previously unemployed youth. Key to this, is the commitment by SA businesses to create internship opportunities for youth to apply and grow their technical skills and confidence in the workplace. In turn, organizations are able to access temporary tech support for their teams and projects, particularly valuable at the start of a year.

“This year, CapaCiTi is proud to have equipped several hundred SA youth with the relevant training and coaching they need to accelerate their careers into the tech sector. We’re calling on South African businesses to support our future talent on the next six months of their journey, helping them to apply and build their skills and confidence and contribute to the digital economy. They’re ambitious, tenacious, and will add huge value to your teams as you kick off 2019. These young people are the future of South Africa’s tech sector, let’s all join together to help them start their journey towards a successful career that will be life changing,” states Fiona Tabraham, Acting Head of Skills Development, CiTi.

Since 2010, CapaCiTi has partnered with close to 150 leading organisations to hire interns and graduates. Corporates such as Media24, BCX, Absa have been strong supporters of interns and grads from the Accelerator, as well as a growing list of SAAS businesses, digital agencies. 

“(Absa) has had tremendous success with the talented young people from CapaCiTi’s programmes. Since 2016, we’ve taken on 55 talented interns, and 16 going on to full-time employment with Absa, which we are looking to scale up significantly with CapaCiTi over the next few years. Their aptitude, attitude and aspiration has blown us away! They are hard-working, passionate about technology and creative, with the maturity to negotiate the trickiness of working in teams, as well as rise to the challenge when we put them in leadership positions,” states Alwyn van Wyk, Head of Cape Town Dev Shop, Absa.

The Interns:

CapaCiTi has a large group of youth completing programmes in December, ready to join business teams in January. These young people were all unemployed or under-employed when entering the programmes, and have now completed an intensive programme in a technical discipline relevant to skills in-demand in the tech sector. Importantly, they received coaching and skills training to prepare them for the 2019 workplace – critical and creative thinking, collaboration, presentation.

These ambitious young people are now ready to apply and amplify their knowledge during a 6-month internship, to gain the experience they need to land a tech job.

What they’ve learnt:

CapaCiTi’s programmes run from 9 to 12 months and are designed for matrics and graduates looking to start a career in IT.

The interns available to start in January 2019 in Cape Town and Johannesburg have completed an intensive training programme in the following:

Software Engineering – Trained in Java, Python [CPT & JHB]

Full-Stack Development – Trained in Full Stack Mobile Dev, Net, JavaScript, PHP, Android [CPT]

Java Development – Trained in Java, JavaScript [CPT & JHB]

Software Development (postgrad) – Trained Post Graduates with Java, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, PHP and MY SQL Databases [CPT]

CISCO Security –Trained and certified as a Cisco Network Security Associate [JHB]

ICT Infrastructure – Trained in IT Essentials, Routing and Switching, Linux Fundamentals, CCNA [CPT]

Company Hosts:

As a host, you will help cement the youth of South Africa’s futures in the business world.

Hosts will accommodate the trainees in their respective offices with access to a computer and involve them in work that allows them to grow their technical experience.

Hosts are required to pay a stipend to support their interns with transport and living costs.

Company Benefit:

Interns can support your teams with existing or new projects with data capture, database management, analysis, software testing, software development to administration, help-desk management. What’s important is that they are exposed to technical projects, team-work and ways of working that build their confidence and knowledge.

Join CiTi in supporting young South Africans to positively shape their future:

As a company partner to CiTi, allow these ambitious, motivated interns to contribute to your teams, and projects, where you need it most.

Help support South Africa’s youth to change their future by hiring talented tech interns for your team.To register your company’s interest in interviewing CapaCiTi interns or grads, please visit www.citi.org.za or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and indicate whether you are in Johannesburg or Cape Town, and the focus of your business.

Or contact directly:

Ilze King for Cape Town interns or grads: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or

Estelle Langa for Johannesburg, PE or Durban interns or grads: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Java Launch: The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi) recently launched the latest of their Tech Skills and Job-Readiness Programmes for previously disadvantaged South African youth interested in a future coding or software development career.

24 August 2018 – Young, unemployed South Africans that are passionate about a career in digital are invited to apply before 10 September 2018 to the Java Launch CapaCiTi training and placement programme set to kick off in Johannesburg and Cape Town late September.

CapaCiTi, a full-time tech career accelerator for ambitious youth, earlier this year significantly scaled up its programme delivery to support even more talented young tech enthusiasts. For those who are crazy about technology and ready to work hard – these programmes are a powerful platform to secure your digital career.

The CapaCiTi programmes are to be run at its brand-new tech student campus in Salt River, Cape Town, and at the CapaCiTi training hub at Resolution Circle in Milpark, Johannesburg. CapaCiTi students have direct access to CiTi’s vibrant technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem to access further opportunities and form valuable connections with other tech professionals and leaders through events and mentorship opportunities.

The goal is to equip 3000 talented young South Africans with industry-demanded technology and business skills, placing graduates into internships and permanent jobs in South Africa's leading companies. The Java Launch programme is the most recent high impact programme available to youth in Cape Town and Joburg. The programme is open to previously disadvantaged, unemployed youth.

The Java Launch Programme

Young South African that are interested in solving problems, curious about how things work, are interested in and passionate about mathematics and science, and excited about the applications and growth of tech, will succeed on the Java Launch programme.

The Java Launch CapaCiTi programme teaches students to code with Java, but also the broader technical and business knowledge you’ll need to succeed in today’s workplace. During the programme students will learn the fundamentals of Java, one of the most in-demand and foundational programming languages both within South Africa and internationally.

Participants in the programme will learn:

Java fundamentals (Intro to Java/Variables, Expressions and Statements/Control/Loops)

Java Data Structures and Error Handling (1D arrays, 2D arrays/Types of errors/Exception handling)

Java OOP and Advanced Programming (Classes and Objects/Classes and Methods/OOP principles/Complex topics.

This programme will prepare participants for careers as Junior Software Developers, Software Testers, Software Analysts and Software Engineers; but also as a great foundation for many other digital career avenues.

Application Criteria

All candidates must be 18-35 years old, previously disadvantaged, South African citizens and currently unemployed. The Java Launch programme requires applicants to be in possession of a Matric certificate. Applicants for the Java Launch programme are asked to complete an assessment to qualify for an application interview – this interview tests for problem solving and logic so those with an aptitude for STEM subjects (science, mathematics, engineering, technology) are most likely to succeed.

Pay it forward

While there are no training costs for students on the programmes, graduates will be required to pay forward their training costs only when they are settled into their new permanent job post programme. This pay-back then goes directly towards training of further young South Africans in the programme, thereby contributing to further SA youths’ digital career opportunities.

The pay-it-forward cost for the Java Launch programme is R16 000 for the skills training and coaching and an additional R9 000 travel allowance. Once a participant in the programme is settled in their first job, they will need to pay back the training costs in affordable installments every month, relative to their earnings.

In the years following graduation, CapaCiTi continues to support its alumni to support their career progression.

What to expect?

Individuals are mentored by a network of skilled coaches and receive training in important business skills such as collaboration, critical and creative thinking, presentation and personal branding. Each programme, including the Java Launch, is coupled with a 6-month internship so that candidates have an immediate chance to apply and grow their skills. On completion of the internship, candidate interviews are facilitated by CapaCiTi to ensure graduates are placed in permanent jobs.

Over the past seven years, CapaCiTi has trained over 1000 young South Africans, placing 82% of candidates, 40% being female, in technology positions at 130 partner host companies such as Media24, Woolworths, Shoprite, BCX and Absa.

“I’ve been totally blown away by CapaCiTi. The programme helped me achieve my goal, get my dream job, and start my career in Tech. I had graduated in 2012 with a Diploma in Programming from another institution and struggled to get a job in IT for over 4 years prior to joining CapaCiTi,” states Xavier Mehl who completed the CapaCiTi Software Development Programme in 2016.

CapaCiTi programmes not only provide meaningful opportunity for young South Africans to participate in the digital economy but allow companies to access job-ready young talent to diversify their teams and reduce recruitment and retention challenges. In today's industry, smart and extensive digital technology is no longer an addition but a requisite and data-driven companies who adopt and adapt tech will survive the surge in digital disruption across all sectors.

Are you a young, unemployed South African that fits the criteria and is passionate about a future career in technology?

Then APPLY ONLINE NOW for the Java Launch Programme.

Candidates need to be 18 – 35 years old, previously disadvantaged, a South African citizen and in possession of a Matric certificate.

Start #yourdigitalfuture by applying at: www.citi.org.za/capaciti-apply for the September Java Launch programme.

Connect with CapaCiTi on Facebook (@capacitiza) and Twitter (@capacitiza). 

ENDS 

For media enquiries please contact:

Mika Stanvliet | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 081 534 6237 

ABOUT CAPACITI AND THE CAPE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (CITI)

CapaCiTi is a programme of the Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative (CiTi), Africa's oldest tech incubator set up to develop initiatives that support and stimulate growth in the South African digital economy. The programme provides unemployed youth with coding and tech skills, psychological and mentoring support, job readiness training, as well as internship and permanent placement in our partner companies. For the past seven years, CapaCiTi has trained young people in the Western Cape, which was then scaled to 4 cities in January 2018, to further scale over the next three years. The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi) as an organisation (NPO) has been instrumental in developing South Africa’s vibrant technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Its highly successful technology business incubation programmes have supported thousands of entrepreneurs in growing their businesses and contributing towards the local economy, alongside supporting key technology innovation clusters – currently Edtech, Fintech, Traveltech and Data Science. CiTi’s Bandwidth Barns are based in Woodstock and Khayelitsha, and are vibrant digital ecosystems for innovation, entrepreneurship and skills delivery. 

Small Business Awards launched on 24 April 2018

Hyde Park, Sandton – June 4, 2018 – A couple of weeks back, Smartcom had some rather thrilling news to share. They launched the Small Business Awards – an exciting opportunity where Smartcom will be giving small business owners and entrepreneurs a chance to showcase their business, and stand a chance to win a coveted title and exceptional prizes.

Promoting budding entrepreneurs has always been something that Smartcom has supported, but they want to delve deeper into this complex, but exciting venture. And so the Small Business Awards were born.

Smartcom collaborated with a vast range of established and successful companies, like BlackBerry, Nippy Print, The Social Media Company, From Me, and more. After careful deliberation with the various companies, they announced the competition, and prizes of up to R50 000!

To make this a fair fight, three categories were introduced – The Smartcom Small Business of the Year, The Smartcom Informal Business of the Year, and The Smartcom Youth Entrepreneur of the Year – each focussing on a specific group of entrepreneurs and businesses.

To enter, you will be required to complete the relevant application form, and upload photos that will showcase your business, team, products and/or services. Entries for all categories in the Smartcom Small Business Awards officially open on Monday, 23 April 2018, and entries will close on 30 June 2018.

Small businesses are the backbone of their communities and a driving force of the South Africa economy as a whole. Smartcom believed that initiatives like the Small Business Awards will encourage small business owners in this vitally important endeavour. By kick-starting this initiative, Smartcom is giving you a head start in the cutthroat business world we have come to know. Don’t waste time – be part of the movement and let us help you and your business be a force to reckon with.

If you are an entrepreneur keen to enter, please visit this link:

https://www.smartcom.co.za/smartcom-launches-smartcom-small-business-awards/ 

In South Africa, approximately half of the population is under the age of 25. Due to the size and buying potential of the youth market, the segment is of great significance to brands planning to stimulate new demand and reach and engage with a highly diversified collective of young sub-cultures.

Miguel Correia of The Zinto Marketing Group comments, “Research conducted by our team of field marketers indicates that South Africa’s youth want authentic, meaningful experiences and interact with real people in their homes and communities. For this reason, youth marketing has become more about engagement and dialogue and less about pushing product information and talking at them. We realised this trend and adapted our approach and marketing efforts to keep pace with youth culture through active and dynamic engagement and carefully constructed, interactive promotional drives.”

Brand activation can be used to create new approaches and unexpected, chance encounters between brands and young consumers. An experiential showcase gives youngsters the opportunity to interact with (and be part of) the consumer journey. Correira highlights trends for marketers to consider when targeting the youth market in South Africa:

Participatory culture

The evolution of consumer to creators and disseminators of information means the youth view themselves as extensions of important and popular brands and that they have played a role in creating connections and forming perceptions of well-known brands. The interaction is personal, and rather than imposing product information on them, they expect brands to facilitate authentic connections and real experiences.

Truth seekers

Real relationships are important to the youth and brands’ consumer promises must be perceived as open, honest and transparent. With an abundance of brands, communication and touchpoints competing for their attention, the youth is growing increasingly sceptical of advertising and media messages and marketers’ attempts to capture their loyalty.

The young people are socially aware and will not support brands that contradict their personal values and beliefs – attributes  such as integrity, truthfulness and trust are held in high regard and they will not support brands that are perceived as dishonest or do not live up to expectations.  It is important to achieve a more authentic role in these consumers’ lives using technology and social platforms but understand that young consumers will expose any false claims using  the same communication channels and  networks to make their ‘voices’ heard.

The power of connection – driving brand and peer engagement simultaneously

Not only is technology a true enabler for Millennials – connection and experiential appeal extends beyond digital mediums and the ability to share with peers and others around them, it also creates a sense of belongingness and relationships within the community.

From a marketing perspective, the brands that have been most successful in capturing young consumers’ attention and imaginations are those that have leveraged and facilitated the sharing of experiences utilising young consumers’ voices and participation.

For more information about Zinto, visit www.zinto.co.za