Generation Schools Partners With OMAI to Boost Vocational Training and Improve Youth Employment

Generation Schools Imhoff in Cape Town

Founded in 2016 by entrepreneur Jevron Epstein and Trematon, Generation Schools operates multiple campuses nationwide. The new institutional backing from OMAI is intended to fund the expansion of the group's curriculum and infrastructure.

A primary focus of the partnership is scaling Generation Trade Schools, the group's vocational and technical training arm. The expansion aims to address South Africa's ongoing shortage of artisanal skills and high youth unemployment by connecting graduates more directly to employment opportunities.

"Our responsibility is not simply to educate students, it is to help shape young people who can contribute meaningfully to their communities and the broader economy," said Jevron Epstein, founder and CEO of Generation Schools.

"Education must become increasingly connected to real-world outcomes. EduFund and OMAI share that conviction, and this partnership gives us the long-term capital and expertise to accelerate that work at scale," Epstein continues.

"South Africa’s skills deficit is one of the defining economic challenges of our time," said Kelly Joshua, head of Education Investing for OMAI. "Generation Schools has built a model that combines academic schooling with vocational pathways that lead to employment. By scaling this model, EduFund aims to impact the youth unemployment crisis."

According to the organisations, the expansion strategy will focus on:

• Expanding vocational and trade school pathways.
• Opening affordable campuses in underserved and emerging communities.
• Increasing the number of South African curriculum-based schools.
• Developing industry partnerships to facilitate workplace learning.

The existing management team will continue to run the business to maintain operational continuity.