The 2018 edition of Western Cape Business is the 11th issue of this highly successful publication that, since its launch in 2005, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the Western Cape.
In addition to the regular articles providing insight into each of the key economic sectors of the province, there are special features on the growth of tourism (spurred by an innovative programme designed to create more direct flights to Cape Town), medical technology as a growth sector and the pursuit of excellence that drives the Cape Winemakers Guild. The journal contains a message from Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, and contributions from significant business leaders from Accelerate Cape Town, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and the Western Cape Business Opportunities Forum. An interview with Tim Harris, Wesgro’s CEO, reveals some of the recipe for the province’s economic success.
Updated information on the Western Cape is also available through our monthly e-newsletter, which you can subscribe to online at www.globalafricanetwork.com, in addition to our complementary business-to-business titles that cover all nine provinces as well as our flagship South African Business title.
INTERVIEW Empowering
INTERVIEW Empowering with knowledge or skills through short courses Mike du Plessis, Director of Short Courses, explains the empowering effect of short courses. Mike du Plessis What was the original aim behind the short courses? The idea was to empower people with knowledge or skills simply to do the job better at the time, in their industry. Or to excel in the job or to get a promotion where they were working. Can an unemployed or young person also sign up? Yes, and they now often make up a substantial part of a class. It’s also aimed at employers: we find that they sponsor the fees. Do organisations ask for courses for unemployed people? There are initiatives out there. The City of Cape Town has projects running from time to time. They will ask, can we empower people with basic computer skills, for instance. Do you customise courses? A municipality might want a specific course in say project management, then we customise it and we can deliver it onsite. BIOGRAPHY Mike du Plessis has a B.Comm from the University of Port Elizabeth and an MBA earned in the US. His PhD research field relates to customer loyalty. Having started in banking, Mike worked for Ford Motor Company before joining the Cape Technikon and becoming Head of Marketing and Assistant Dean. Since 2005 he has been Director of Short Courses at CPUT. Has the demand for training changed over time? Management science was actually the birthplace of short courses at the old Cape Technikon. The initial courses were often business/ management related, accounting, later on computers and then sales. It grew into the world of engineering and financial systems, and now you find courses in cyber security. Are certificates issued? They always get a certificate, it could be of attendance, it could be of competence. What they do not get and what we do not claim to give is a qualification (which consists of more than 120 credits). If you did a short course with us, as a university we can say that it will count towards a certain number of credits with a formal (diploma) course with us. A short course can be a gateway to signing up at CPUT, especially if it’s combined with recognition of prior learning (RPL). WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2018 118
PROFILE Cape Peninsula University of Technology CPUT Short Courses. Creating futures Our short courses are aimed at developing your skills. They give insight into various fields, empowering you to make decisions about your career and future. Our courses are affordable and our university is your quality guarantee. Cape Peninsula University of Technology offers a variety of short courses, making it easy for persons who are already employed to study part-time. Courses range from half-day courses to six months or a year. Courses are offered at the two campuses of CPUT in central Cape Town and Bellville. The South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC) is located on the Bellville campus and practical marine and survival training takes place at our Granger Bay facilities. The university has six academic faculties and departments within faculties are responsible for short courses. Courses on Human Resource Management, for example, are offered by the Graduate Centre for Management (Faculty of Business and Management Sciences) while Helicopter Underwater Rescue Training (HUET) is presented by the Survival Centre (Engineering). Relevant fields of study • Administration • Clothing and textiles • Computers • Cyber security • Education • Engineering • Events • Finance • Hospitality Management • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) • Journalism • Language and communication • Management • Maritime and survival • Production • Public relations • Quality control Time is running out. APPLY TODAY. CONTACT INFO #WeAreCPUT creating futures Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT): Short Courses Tel: +27 21 460 3079 Email: shortcourses@cput.ac.za Website: www.cput.ac.za/academic/ shortcourses/fields Telephone numbers for specific courses are on the website. Administrators are available to answer questions. www.facebook.com/cputshortcourses/ wearecput 119 WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2018
