Upskilling GEN Z Entrepreneurs Through Higher Certificates

Gen Z are widely regarded as the most entrepreneurial generation the world has known. According to a global 2024 Forbes report, 62% of Gen Zs either already run a business or side-hustle, or they are planning to start one. Unlike their millennial counterparts, who tend towards a traditional approach to entrepreneurship, Gen Z are far more likely to look to the burgeoning digital economy to find their niche.

As the first generation of true digital natives, Gen Zs are uniquely positioned to thrive in online business landscapes. After all, they have grown up fluent in social media, e-commerce, influencer culture, digital marketing, and cloud-based tools for productivity, and just about everything else. This digital eloquence gives them an advantage in setting up side-hustles at a young age, feeding their ambitions to one day scale-up their efforts into viable businesses.

Where passion meets the reality – the need for entrepreneur education

The rise of the digital economy and the advantages of their digital fluency converge with several Gen Z priorities such as their focus on work-life balance, their drive to work with purpose and their desire for levels of autonomy and independence that aren’t offered by conventional employment. However, whether your venture is operating on or offline, every entrepreneur needs a strong grounding in business fundamentals, which apply in any context. A 2023 Youth Business International report identifies access to business education, financial literacy, and mentorship among the most common barriers for young entrepreneurs globally.

Lee-Ann Drummond, head of Sacap's Management and Leadership faculty says: “As a venture grows, one of the most common obstacles that emerges is the lack of business knowledge and skills to reach the next level. Business planning and strategy, financial literacy and budgeting, marketing and branding, leadership and people management are some of the foundational aspects to building a sustainable business. So, it makes sense that aspiring Gen Z entrepreneurs have plans to gain this essential knowledge, and this is where accessible higher certificate education programmes can come to the fore.”

For instance, Sacap offers a CHE-accredited Higher Certificate in Business Management as well as a Higher Certificate in Human Resource Management to meet the needs of aspiring Gen Z entrepreneurs. Both courses take place online over five academic terms. Drummond says: “This means you can learn at your own pace while operating your business, and you get to dynamically apply the business-ready skills you are learning as you progress through the curriculum. These programmes are designed as practical pathways into the world of business, grounded in applied psychology, business knowledge and critical thinking.”

Learning that matches Gen Z’s preferences

Sacap’s learning approach and student-centred ethos are deeply aligned with Gen Z worldviews and lifestyles. The higher certificate programmes are digitally led learning journeys with regular feedback from class facilitators. It is ideal for students who want the flexibility to balance their daily commitments and studies and to work at their own pace while meeting weekly milestones. There are strong support systems in place and a focus on developing emotional intelligence, critical thinking and communication abilities – essential skills for entrepreneurial success.

Applications to the Sacap Higher Certificate in Business Management and the Higher Certificate in Human Resource Management are open now, until 23 June 2025.

Visit www.sacap.edu.za.