Kwandile Skhosana
Nominee's Province:
Western Cape
Age:
Project Name/Description:
Founder – Rudo Institute
Kwandile Sikhosana is the founder of Rudo Institute, which trains students across the SADC region, partnering with the African Union. He’s also the founder of the Daveyton Book Club, which leads literacy projects across the country including establishing libraries. Skhosana recently launched the African School of Coffee, a training academy which is in the process of applying for its private university status with the Council of Higher Education. Moreover, he’s one of the visionaries of the Ekurhuleni University Initiative that passed its feasibility study stage. Skhosana holds that since the dawn of democracy, SA’s education sector has shown both significant progress and persistent challenges. “In the context of employability, there's a crucial gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills acquisition. Many graduates struggle to secure employment due to a lack of relevant skills demanded by the job market. This highlights the need for a shift towards more occupational training models that prioritise hands-on experience and collaboration with industry partners,” he states. He challenges training providers like himself to develop training courses that actually empower young people to obtain relevant skills that will give them a competitive edge in the market. “This will create jobs, entrepreneurs and training prospects. This is how I believe we will cultivate a culture of learning and the need to have more people take up more educational opportunities,” he concludes.
