The Department of Economic Development awarded 80 Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) with certification for excellence and the successful completion of the Finance for Non-Finance Professionals Course today.
Councillor Nkululeko Mbundu, the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Development in the City of Johannesburg, led awards ceremony at the Metro Centre in Braamfontein.
The three-month training programme in partnership with PurpleGrowth Training Academy, focused on empowering small business owners and their teams, with the critical skills needed for sustainable operations. The course also included a group mentorship intervention.
Twenty of the 80 graduates completed the course with distinction, receiving 100% in all assessments. A total of 244 Opportunity Centre delegates attended the interactive and practical E-Campus course.
SMMEs learnt the following subjects:
- Basics of financial analysis for decision-making,
- Profit and cash flow,
- Budgeting,
- Forecasting, and
- Working capital management as well as analysis of financial statements.
There are currently nine Opportunity Centres across the city’s regions and one mobile bus, targeted at reaching the remote areas of the city where the services are equally needed. These centres offer a range of services namely: training and consultation services, facilities usage for business and jobseeker’s support.
The selected participating Opportunity Centres for the Finance for Non-Finance professionals’ course were Simunye Opportunity Centre in Montclare, Atlehang Opportunity Centre in Soweto and Joburg Market Opportunity Centre in City Deep.
Skills development is one of our strategic priorities as the Department of Economic Development as it fuels the economy, creates employment opportunities and ensures sustainability.
“As the Multi-Party Government, we believe that the sustainable development and support of SMMEs and entrepreneurs, through training programmes such as this, will play a particularly important role in expanding Joburg’s contribution to the country’s economy, as the single largest GDP contributor,” said MMC Mbundu.
INFO SUPPLIED BY THE CITY.
