Page 132 - KZN Top Business Portfolio 2018
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EDUPOWER SKILLS ACADEMY
Rajan Naidoo
www.edupowersa.co.za
B-BBEE FUNDED LEARNERSHIPS half of the learners that are enrolled for 2018 are
mobility challenged.
EduPower is a Durban based skills academy that
changes the lives of unemployed South African youth Companies that invest their skills development money
through B-BBEE sponsored learnership programmes. with EduPower are assured that their learners receive
quality training and real skills they can use. The
EduPower programmes give funded learners real skills Academy’s learners have the opportunity to earn while
to build their careers, and provide win-win solutions for they learn, and through the programmes, they gain the
social transformation – truly delivering the intended confidence and skills they need to start their careers
outcome of B-BBEE investment. in the contact centre industry. Most learners who
B-BBEE’s objective is to broaden the country’s complete the learnership are offered an opportunity
economic growth, eradicate poverty and accelerate for longer term employment.
job creation to build a stronger economy. A company’s EduPower’s learners spend approximately 30% of
BEE Rating and the B-BBEE scorecard measure how their time in the Academy’s custom fitted classrooms,
far along a company is in achieving this.
learning a range of skills including basic computer
A company can score additional BEE points by and life skills. The remaining 70% of their training
contributing 6% of payroll costs to skills development, takes place in EduPower’s specially outfitted learning
predominantly on accredited programmes and with contact centre that accommodates up to 160 learners.
at least 0.3% of the spend allocated to learners with In this nurturing and supportive environment, learners
disabilities. Companies that achieve this and other get real work experience across each of the diverse
skills development priorities can earn 25 valuable fields offered by the contact centre industry including:
points towards their B-BBEE rating.
Quality Assurance (QA)
Tax incentives for businesses to support learnerships Customer Care
allow companies to claim a maximum tax deductible Lead Generation and Surveys
rebate of R60 000 per learner in a learnership, or Data Capture
R100 000 for people with disabilities.
Retentions and
EduPower facilitates B-BBEE points and tax incentives Sales
through learnership training and workplace experience
and learners are hosted for 12 months at the company’s At the end of the 12 month programme, EduPower’s
state-of-the art skills academy in Mount Edgecombe, learners are eligible to receive a nationally
so disruption to businesses funding the learnerships is recognised NQF 3 qualification. Their employability
absolutely minimal. is significantly increased, with research showing
The EduPower team offers an end-to-end service. They that candidates who complete a learnership are
recruit, train and host learners and complete all the three times more likely to be employed, and it is the
required paperwork with the different SETAs including Academy’s goal to place every learner into full time
the reporting required for the SARS tax rebate, and employment.
documentary evidence for the B-BBEE audit. In For funding partners, this translates into an additional
addition, they facilitate the correct demographics to five points on their B-BBEE rating for absorption – but
maximise your B-BBEE splits as EduPower’s facilities for the EduPower team, it is about giving the learners
cater for people with disabilities. In fact, more than the best possible start to their working lives.
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