The innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation hosted a THENSA (The Higher Education Network South Africa) Orientation and Onboarding Training Session recently at their Durban Offices. THENSA, initially known as SATN, was established in 2006 by five South African Universities of Technolog. It was a platform for the South African Universities of Technology to share common concerns or matters and resolutions pertaining to Higher Education.

In 2021, THENSA introduced a programme to student entrepreneurs enrolled at all universities of technology that aided societal issues are dealt with while improving the livelihood of people as well as promoting entrepreneurship

As one of these five universities, DUT being one of the partner universities, sourced out a suitable and convenient way of introducing the programme to its students, hence the launch of the THENSA Online Entrepreneurship Programme that took place towards the end of 2021. As THENSA prides itself in being the ‘driver for 4IR Solutions Post COVID-19’, the programme aids in ensuring that issues in society are dealt with while improving lives as well as promoting entrepreneurship among young people.

Thabile Ndaba, one of the Business Advisors at innobiz, introduced a group of 10 incubated entrepreneurs to the programme. She assisted them by taking them through step by step on the required fields and explaining to them how the programme works. Emphasizing the importance of entrepreneurs adapting to the 4IR and even the 5IR wave, she encouraged them to not only start, but also to complete the online programme while taking note of beneficial pointers learned during the course.

“It was a very informative session as I had been looking forward to better understanding what THENSA was all about and how it would equip me in my entrepreneurial journey’, said Kwanda Khumalo, one of the entrepreneurs that participated in the session.

Pictured: Entrepreneurs with Thabile Ndaba, at the event.

Aliziwe Siphokazi/Gloria Mbambo