From skills to opportunity

Phosaane Training Institute founder Mr Phogole wants practical training to lead not only to employment, but to businesses that create jobs.

A career in hospitality taught Mr Phogole what an oppor-tunity can mean. Through a Protea Hotels training progr-amme, he gained industry expe-rience, qualified in his field and pro-gressed to a management position within a leading hotel group.

That experience inspired him to establish Phosaane Training Institute, with a focus on helping South Africans overcome barriers to education and employment.

“I have experienced how an opportunity can change the direction of someone's life, and I want Phosaane to create those oppor-tunities for others,” he says.

His ambition extends beyond helping learners earn qualifications. Phosaane aims to become a leading school of artisans, combining technical training, apprenticeships and entre-preneurship so graduates can enter the workplace or build businesses of their own.

“We want to equip people with practical, industry-relevant skills that enable them to become competent artisans, secure employ-ment, and create their own business opportunities,” Phogole explains

To keep its programmes relevant, the institute works with employers, government institutions, industry stakeholders and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) to identify skills gaps and understand workplace requirements. Its approach combines classroom teaching, digital learning, practical training and workplace exposure.

Partnerships with host employers are intended to give learners opportunities to apply what they have learned in real working environments, developing both technical abilities and the professional skills employers require.

Yet Phogole believes preparing people solely for conventional employment is not enough, particularly in a country where jobs are scarce. Entrepreneurship is therefore central to the institute’s approach.

“We recognise that employment oppor-tunities are not always readily available, so we want our learners to have the confidence and knowledge to start their own businesses and create employment for others,” he says.

A trained artisan, for example, should be able to pursue a job, establish an enterprise or eventually employ others. Business start-up support is designed to make those alternatives realistic rather than simply aspirational.

Phogole sees private training providers as important partners in addressing youth unemployment. Their ability to work closely with industry, adapt to changing skills requirements and facilitate appren-ticeships can help narrow the gap between qualifications and the competencies employers actually need.

Access matters too. Phosaane wants to expand opportunities for unemployed young people, women and communities that face barriers to economic participation. Blended learning can make training more flexible, although Phogole stresses that technology must complement rather than replace practical experience.

Looking ahead, he wants stronger partnerships with industry, government and SETAs, broader access to work-place learning and a deeper integr-ation of entrepreneurship into training programmes.

His measure of success is not simply the number of certificates issued, but whether learners can sustain themselves, build enterprises and contribute to their communities.

“I want us to be known for producing competent artisans, successful entrepren-eurs, and young people who are confident, self-reliant, and able to contribute meaning-fully to society,” he says.

For Phogole, the ultimate legacy would be an institution that turns skills into livelihoods and gives graduates the chance to create opportunities for others.

ADVERTORIAL