Young business owners graduate from Google academy
Google’s free training programme saw 5 000 young business owners graduate, obtaining the skills that they need to further their entrepreneurial journeys.
Google continues to empower young business owners, recently celebrating the graduation of 5 000 students who have completed its Hustle Academy training programme.
Launched in February this year, the academy provided practical business training to business owners from South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.
According to Google South Africa country manager Alistair Mokoena, the 5 000 graduates come from 23 cohorts who attended five-day free virtual boot camps where they learned how to define their business strategy, increase sales, and how to pitch their business for funding.
“Our graduates are working hard to grow their businesses, and in addition to having an impact in these 5000 SMBs, this kind of practical training also has a ripple effect, helping many more people succeed,” said Mokoena
One of the graduates was Paulshof business owner Mahlatse Prince Maifo who founded June Royce Education Consultants.
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According to Maifo, the passion for education that drove the establishment of the business continues to motivate the growth of his business.
“I am a third-generation teacher who felt that I had a purpose in life to lead and to teach young people.”
Following his work as a virtual teacher for learners abroad affected by the war in Ukraine, Maifo hopes to focus in on boardless education.
“I would like to make sure that no matter where the learners are, who they are, and where they come from, they are able to get the education that they deserve,” he said.
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Chief information officer for the Department of Small Businesses Development, Norbit Williams, added that a programme such as the Hustle Academy plays a pivotal role in not only uplifting small businesses but economic growth in its entirety.
“Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are the backbone of the global economy, and in Africa, they account for an estimated 80% of jobs.
“In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, there are an estimated 44 million micro, small and medium enterprises, which function as important drivers of economic growth.”
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