The Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSeta) has awarded more than R10 million in bursaries to hundreds of deserving students in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences.

The W&RSeta awarded bursaries to 200 students in Retail Business Management, Human Resource Management, Financial Information Systems, Management, Accounting, Marketing and Paralegal Studies. The full bursaries pay for registration, tuition, accommodation, books, meals and transport for students residing off-campus.

Officials from the W&RSeta recently visited the District Six Campus to meet the successful students. It was an exciting day for the students as they had been waiting since the beginning of the year to learn if they will receive the funding for their studies.

Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, told the meeting that the university was grateful to the W&RSETA for the funding and that the Seta has a very strong relationship with CPUT since it is also funding one of the university’s research leadership chair. “The [bursary] funding will improve the lives of our students especially the BTech students because they are struggling to get funding. This is a shot in the arm for our needy students,” said Nhlapo.

He added that the bursaries will ensure the students completely focus on their studies without worrying about fees. “This is making a lifetime investment into the future of the youth of this country.”

The W&RSeta was established in the year 2000 in terms of the Skills Development Act to facilitate the skills development needs of the wholesale and retail industry through the implementation of learning programmes, disbursements of grants and monitoring of education and training.

Additional reporting by Sikhululwe Ntsiko 

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Joel Dikgole, Chief Executive Officer of the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority, told graduates from the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences that doing good in society makes one feel better.

Dikgole was a guest speaker at last evening’s graduation ceremony where about 500 students were awarded diplomas and degrees.

He added that in order for the graduates to move forward and be happy they need to give back to their communities.

“Be part of something and don’t stand for yourself alone,” he said.

He said that graduates should figure out what their calling in life is and do something about it as nobody can tell them what it is.

“Your real job is to find out the reason why you are here today and do something about it,” he said.

He commended the graduates for taking the opportunity in life to absorb knowledge and expressing their eagerness to move to the next level of knowledge.

He added that the partnership between CPUT and his SETA, which saw the establishment of the only W&R SETA Research Chair in South Africa, will produce graduates who meet the sector’s demographical profile and its need for skills.

“There’s a need for universities to have partnerships with SETAs to ensure that students are empowered with skills needed in that sector,” he said.

Written by Kwanele Butana

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A ground-breaking facility offering management development programmes in partnership with the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&R SETA) and CPUT was recently launched.

The facility features equipment like computers, an interactive data projector and other essential equipment valued at around R500 000 and will be used in the offering of essential short courses to retail industry workers.

The event hosted at the W&R Leadership Academy also saw more than 160 certificates awarded to employees of the 17 retailers who participated and completed the academy’s programmes in 2016. Mathealira Mokupo, W&RSETA Administrator, says the day was a milestone.
“Today we launch the seventh SETA simulation centre, the centre will not only be used for training purposes but also for assessment of RSM qualifications,” says Mokupo. 
“The academy plays a huge role as part of the Research Chair and is inclined towards the use of technology and innovation to improve the profession.”

Graduates were awarded certificates for completing the Retail Store Manager Qualification (Certificate in Retail Marketing) and the Retailing 1 course. Acting Dean in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Willem Lotter, says the university’s W&R Leadership Academy started in 2016 and has a proud legacy because when his recently retired colleague Petrus Venter was still at the helm of the Retail Management department the course boasted a 100% employment record of his graduates.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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