DTI Promotes Entrepreneurial Mindset

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A group of student leaders from Black Management Forum (BMF), Enactus and the Community Development Association (CDA) attended a capacity building workshop aimed at encouraging young people to think about entrepreneurship as an alternative to just seeking employment after completing their degrees. The workshop, held on 6 September, was organised by the Agriculture Economics Student Society (AESS) and was facilitated by Mr Wiseman Myeni from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Myeni spoke about programmes that the DTI offers to businesses like the Agro-processing support scheme (APSS) and support programmes for industrial innovation (SPII).

The main focus of the APSS is to develop businesses that can uplift rural areas where there is high prevalence of food insecurity and unemployment.

The main focus of the SPII is to encourage product development ideas like modernising indigenous or traditional foods such as snacks from Mopani worms, juices, spices from herbs such as moringa etc.

Moreover, he cautioned students to not only depend on government funding or grants for startup capital. He encouraged students to think about ways the township and rural economies could be developed to be inclusive of poor people. 

After the workshop, student leaders got a chance to engage with Myeni about the ideas they have and wish to pursue in future. In closing, student leaders were encouraged to share the information they received from the workshop with their members.

AESS aims to link students with workplace opportunities and to equip them with skills to be able to start their own businesses. AESS shares scholarships and job opportunities on its Facebook page and organises seminars for students.

Words by: Lungelo Cele