ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Table of Contents
Why the entrepreneurial skills development programme ..................................................................... 3
What is the entrepreneurial skills development programme? .............................................................. 5
How is the entrepreneurial skills development programme going to be delivered? ............................. 6
When is the entrepreneurial skills development programme taking place? ......................................... 7
Who is the entrepreneurial skills development programme for? ........................................................ 11
Where is the entrepreneurial skills development programme taking place? ...................................... 12
2
WHY THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
The project aims to put delegates from Small and Micro Enterprises (including Cooperative Financial
Institutions) that are operating within the banking and microfinance sector over 3 months on an
entrepreneurial skills programme.
This programme will be followed on with 3 months of a mentoring programme by the same service
provider. The service provider will spend 6 hours per month with one SME/CFI in order to assist them
with inter alia: formalisation of contract assignments and business viability study; formalisation of
contract assignments and business viability study; linking and applying course principles to business
management; keeping track of monthly liabilities; daily sales summary – cash; explaining how to keep
record for easy referencing to the bank; recording cash expenses taken from sales income.
Assistance needed by the SME/CFIs will vary from one organisation to the other. Thus a customised
mentoring programme will be developed for each organisation.
On successful completion of the course (and at the graduation ceremony), the learner will receive a
Certificate in Entrepreneurship Skills, endorsed by a public university and is pitched at an NQF Level 5.
On completion of the final contact session on 11 March 2017, a Portfolio of Evidence must be
submitted by each learner. On achievement of a competency rating based on the Portfolio of Evidence
which will include all formative and a summative assessment, the learner will be awarded a Certificate
issued by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. After the completion of the mentoring
programme, the option is available to those learners who wish to obtain a credit bearing certificate
which will give recognition for three modules of the ND: Entrepreneurship. Learners will be required
to write an exam.
The proposed skills programme offers the potential for existing entrepreneurs to capitalise
on opportunities to start and grow sustainable businesses that form part of the mainstream
economy. The learning will enable the delegates to tender for business opportunities within
both the public and private sectors. This qualification is designed for learners who have
already set up own ventures. Assessment of the competencies and knowledge in the
qualification needs to be done in the context of the learner's own venture.
Research has indicated that people working with their own ventures at this level need the
following competencies:
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Acquisition of an entrepreneurial profile which includes an innovation orientation
An understanding of the industry/sector in which they wish to establish a new venture
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An ability to match new venture opportunities to market needs within a chosen
industry/sector
An ability to determine and manage the financial requirements of a new venture
An ability to match new venture opportunities to market needs
An ability to compile and utilise a business plan to manage a new venture and also
where relevant, to seek funding for a new venture
Rationale
The future of South Africa's economy does not just lie in the formal sector, but within the
informal SMME sector too. This is a growing part of South Africa's economy and requires
substantial focus from a developmental perspective. Following the success of the
implementation of the National Certificate: New Venture Creation (NVC): Level 4 and upon
doing further research, it has been established that there is a great demand to equip
entrepreneurial learners with knowledge and skills at NQF level 5 so that they can become
part of the mainstream economy as they set up and manage new ventures. Whilst the
complexity of learning will be simpler at this level, the main outputs, requirements and
competences of such entrepreneurs are broadly the same.
The small business sector is growing and it is in light of this that various stakeholders have
taken the initiative to provide mentorship programmes that will assist budding entrepreneurs
to become a more integral part of the mainstream economy, serving both the public and
private sectors. Apart from the formative development that can take place via these
programmes, it also provides more importantly for sustainable development.
Thus the design and establishment of an entrepreneurship qualification aims to:
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Develop appropriate skills and knowledge for the establishment and development of
an enterprise.
Address the economic/administrative and behavioural barriers that contribute to
failures in starting and sustaining an enterprise.
Create long-term solutions for job creation and SMME development via the building
blocks and structure of a qualification that practically addresses the learning
requirements of budding entrepreneurs.
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WHAT IS THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME?
7
Proposals/Tenders
8
Apply and Manage
Funding
2
On-going Support
and Mentoring
Management
&
Planning
1
Introduction to
Entrepreneurship
3
Marketing
6
Administration
&
Legal
Ideas
&
Opportunities
4
Basic Financial
Concepts
5
Finance
5
HOW IS THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME GOING
TO BE DELIVERED?
Overall approach
Facilitation
We acknowledge that learners are all adults,
and currently running an entrepreneurial
venture. Hence our approach is varied, with
contact time, off-site
activities and assessments as
well as mentoring following
the training intervention to
aid with implementation.
Face to Face sessions will be facilitated and
NOT lectured. These interventions will be led
by subject matter experts with both academic
and practical experience.
Sessions will be highly
interactive and will
include formative
assessments.
Blended Learning
Portfolio of Evidence
Learning will take place
through various mediums,
with contact sessions,
networking via various forms
of social media, mentoring
and support via instant
messaging with agreed times,
email and telephone calls.
Assessment will be done by means of a
Portfolio of Evidence. This will comprise of
formative assessments which will be
completed during contact sessions, as well as
take home assignments. A
summative assessment will be
part of the three month
engagement with inputs
during every contact session.
Mentoring and Support till October 2017
Exam
Learners and Facilitators will discuss and agree
on the most fruitful means of engagement in
this aspect. Interventions will include: site
visits, emails, instant
messaging,
telephone calls and
networking
activities.
The option to write a formal exam with the
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
during October 2017 will be afforded to those
who successfully complete the programme in
March 2017.
Programme costs
The cost of the programme for each candidate is covered by the BANKSETA.
The BANKSETA is required in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) to ensure that funds
allocated are accounted for. All delegates will as such be required to sign an Agreement with
BANKSETA to commit to the programme and to undertake that they will attend all classes as required.
The delegate will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation cost to attend classes as
required.
All questions pertaining to the programme and related processes should be
directed to [email protected]
6
WHEN IS THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
TAKING PLACE?
Important Dates
Completion and submission of application form: by 15 December 2016
BANKSETA to notify successful candidates: 18 December 2016
Attending induction day: 21 January 2017
Programme: 21 January 2017 - 11 March 2017
Results are provided to delegates: 20 March 2017
Mentoring period: April to September 2017
Graduation event: October 2017
21 January 2017
Induction
Pre-Assessment
Session One
Introduction to Entrepreneurship
 Induction
 Learning Outcomes
 Assessments
 Portfolio of Evidence
 Mentoring
The learning outcome to be covered during the induction session will be:
The study of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship and the importance of
entrepreneurs.
One completion of the induction session, learners will:
 Understand the overall learning outcomes of the programme
 Understand the means of assessment: Summative and Formative
assessments including the Portfolio of Evidence
 Understand terms “entrepreneur” and “entrepreneurship”
 Highlight their importance as entrepreneurs
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28 January 2017
Session Two
04 February 2017
Session 3
11 February 2017
Session 4
18 February 2017
Entrepreneurial Management Skills
On completion of this module the learner will be able to:
 Understand and apply necessary the operations management for
entrepreneurial ventures
 Understand and apply the necessary Human resources management
for entrepreneurial ventures
 Understand and apply Business ethics to their entrepreneurial
ventures
Entrepreneurial Planning Skills
On completion of this module the learner will be able to understand, review
and adjust their plans as listed below:
 Business plan
o Background
o Proposal
o Viability
o Costing
 Marketing plans based on market feasibility
 Forecasting
Entrepreneurial Ideas and Opportunities
On completion of this module the learner will be able to:
 Develop innovative business ideas
 Align products and services to market needs
 Determine financial feasibility of ideas and opportunities
Entrepreneurial Marketing Skills
On completion of this module the learner will be able to:
 Development of marketing and business strategy
 Understanding and applying the fundamental marketing principles
 Understand and define your target market,
 Demonstrate an understanding of product positioning,
 Define a culture of customer service
Basic Financial Concepts (including Costing and Pricing)
On completion of this module the learner will be able to:
 Recall and understand important financial terms.
 Differentiate between profitability and cash flow and understand
the impact of both on the survival of a business.
 Develop a budget and calculate variances between budgeted
amounts and actual expenditure.
 Investigate and analyse reasons for deviations from a budget.
 Correctly calculate all the relevant expenses necessary to accurately
cost a business product.
 Apply appropriate mark-up adjustments to the cost of business
products.
 Demonstrate an understanding of the costs associated with the
upfront purchase of fixed assets versus credit installment purchases.
Finances and the Entrepreneur
8
Session 5
25 February 2017
Session 6
On completion of this module the learner will be able to:
 Create a basic set of Financial Statements.
 Understand how to interpret a set of financial statements by
calculating pertinent profitability and liquidity ratios and interpret
their impact.
 Know the corrective measures that must be taken to rectify liquidity
issues.
 Understand the impact of inflation and interest and other macroeconomic factors on the profitability and survival of a business.
 Understand the impact of credit ratings on a business.
 Know the tools that are available for the small business to assist with
record keeping, payroll and point of sale.
 Know how to set realistic financial goals.
Entrepreneurial Administrative Skills
On completion of this module the learner will be able to:
 Understand business functions and business processes.
 Know how to develop process descriptions clearly defining the
activities, people, documents and records involved in business
processes.
 Know how to identify weaknesses in business processes, the
associated consequences owing to the weaknesses as well as
develop appropriate remedies to correct the identified weaknesses.
 Know how to develop monitoring activities to assess the efficiency
and effectiveness of the business processes as well as to assess
compliance with business processes.
Entrepreneurial Legal Skills
On completion of this module the learner will be able to:
 Understand the legal and regulatory environment in which businesses
operate.
 Understand the laws and regulations which businesses may be subject
to, with a particular focus on:
 Company law
 Labour law
 Tax law
 Contract law
 Consumer Protection Act
 Occupational Health and safety Act
 National Credit Act
 Protection of Personal Information Act
 Know how to apply and integrate relevant laws and regulations in
business processes / operations.
 Know how to prepare compliance programs to identify and monitor
non-compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
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04 March 2017
Session 7
11 March 2017
Session 8
April –
September 2017
Post Programme
Mentoring
How to submit proposals/tenders for both private and public contractors
On completion of this module the learner will be able to:
 Understand the proposal and tender environment
 Practically complete a tender/write a proposal
 Understand the factors that influence the outcome of the tender /
proposal process
 Understand the do’s and don’ts of tenders and proposals
 Prepare the necessary documentation which accompanies a tender
or proposal
 Understand the tender and proposal terminology in SA
 Understand the Preferential Procurement Points Scoring
 Understand the basics of B-BBEE
How to access, apply for and manage funding from Banks or Development
Financial Agencies
On completion of this module the learner will be able to:
 Understand the different sources of funding available for SMMEs
 Understand how to meet the funding requirements
 Complete a funding application
 Manage funding
 Complete funding reports
 Locate funding sources for SMMEs
Post Programme Mentoring
During the learning intervention, the Learners and Facilitators will discuss
and agree on the most fruitful means of engagement post training.
Interventions will include: site visits, emails, instant messaging, telephone
calls and networking activities.
The focus of this will be deepening the learning, implementing the learning
at the various projects and if the desire is there from the learner – to
prepare for the formal CPUT exam.
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WHO IS THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR?
The ideal learner:
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Must be a South African citizen
Should have Grade 12 or National Senior Certificate (or Mature Age Exemption will apply)
Should be able to read write and understand English
Should have an existing business
Should commit to fully participating in all programme activities (dates have been provided in
order for diaries to be scheduled accordingly). The attendance is compulsory and none of the
elements are optional.
If sessions are missed, the learner will unfortunately not be able to continue with the
programme
Should commit to complete the assessments, activities and assignments and submit on the
due date
Should be available for mentoring sessions and encourage a visit from the appointed mentor/s
Should commit to completing and implementing the project/product for the final assessment
Should commit to completing evaluation forms and contributing to feedback sessions
throughout the programme.
Documentation required
When the candidate is accepted onto the programme, the following documents are
required:
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Certified Copy of South African Identity Document (ID);
Completed, Dated and Signed Application Form
Copy of the Highest Qualification
Curriculum Vitae
Signed Agreement between Delegate and BANKSETA
General guidelines for applications
Application to the programme does not guarantee selection onto the Programme. The BANKSETA
will, when finalising the list of successful candidates be guided by the following:
 National Skills Development Strategy;
 The abovementioned required documentation;
 Candidate(s) undertaking to participate.
 The nature of the candidate’s small business
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WHERE IS THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
TAKING PLACE?
Exact location, venue and logistics
will be advised upon acceptance
onto the programme
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