Wits Business School partners with Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE BUSINESS Editor-In-Chief
Founded by a marketing master’s degree student at University of Johannesburg in response to what he felt was an unfair generally held view that the youth of today in comparison to the Youth of 1976, somehow have no ambition and purpose in life, this brand keeps on growing.
Itself, founded to grow and celebrate youth owned brands in the country, now a major university business school has come on board in a display of confidence in what this brand stands for.
This week it was announced that Wits Business School has become the official Education Category Sponsor of 2nd Annual Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards. This will not only assist in elevating the position of this brand in the business sphere, but will add academic vigour to the business.
“We are very pleased to announce that the 2nd annual Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards will be partnering with the Wits Business School. Wits Business School is the Graduate School of Business Administration of the University of the Witwatersrand, one of the top tertiary institutes in Africa. The school offers a variety of postgraduate academic programmes and executive education programmes as well as weekly public seminars.
The Wits Business School believes in celebrating and supporting youth entrepreneurship in South Africa and on the African continent. The Executive Education unit at Wits Business School will be sponsoring the education category through short courses valued at R220,000.00,” a statement from the organisers states.
“At the heart of our mission is a commitment to support the development of agile and ethical leaders who positively impact our country and continent. This partnership provides the business school with an opportunity to enhance the skills and capabilities of young entrepreneurs and will expose them to the best in knowledge, tools, and practical application as they prepare to lead their ventures into the future,” says Yasira Cajee, the Marketing Officer of Executive Education at Wits Business School.
As a part of the sponsorship, the short course will include the following: A five (5) day online Managing & Leading People short course for the sixteen (16) category winners and a nine (9 month) face-to-face Management Advancement Programme (MAP) for the overall winner.
The school aims to develop leaders who can shape the future of Africa and raise the values bar on how business is done on the African continent. The young entrepreneurs are provided with a deep understanding of the complexities of doing business in Africa within a global context, Wits Business School states.
“We believe that entrepreneurs need to constantly hone their skills and work on ways to better their brands. Wits Business School has created an opportunity for these young entrepreneurs to do exactly that. They have shown constant support for young entrepreneurs and will be providing them with the tools needed to sustain a brand in the long run,” says Pat Mahlangu, the founder and CEO of the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards.
About the Top 16 Youth Owned Brands Awards
The top 16 youth-owned brands awards are a platform that celebrates and recognizes youth excellence. This spectacular initiative aims to support youth-owned brands and makes sure that their efforts are seen. These awards acknowledge that these youth-owned brands are contributing to job creation and economic development in South Africa. What started off as an online portal that celebrates the excellence of brands has now become a platform that these brands are given a chance to shine and known throughout the country. Shining a light on the ones who dare to make a difference.
About Wits Business School
Wits Business School is the Graduate School of Business administration of the University of the Witwatersrand, one of the top tertiary institutes in Africa. The school offers a variety of postgraduate academic programmes and executive education programmes as well as weekly public seminars. WBS also designs tailor-made, in-company programmes, partnering with client organisations to develop management capacity. With a full suite of programmes on offer, WBS delivers innovative, transformative, and immersive learning experiences using generative thinking methodologies.