Bridging the Funding Gap: Optimi Workplace's Commitment to the 'Missing Middle'
In South Africa, education remains one of the most powerful tools for economic mobility and national development. While the government has made significant strides in supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), a substantial group of students—the 'missing middle'—continues to face financial barriers to higher education. These students do not qualify for NSFAS funding but still cannot afford tertiary education without assistance.
Optimi Workplace recognizes this critical gap and is committed to collaborating with various stakeholders to develop creative solutions that ensure these students are not left behind. Access to education should not be a privilege determined by financial status but a right that empowers young South Africans to reach their full potential.
Aunyana Moloisane, the Managing Director of Optimi Workplace, is making a call to corporate South Africa to step up and collaborate in finding sustainable solutions to fund the 'missing middle.' His passion lies in unlocking the potential of South Africa’s youth and ensuring it plays a meaningful role in both the domestic and global economies. "Our young people are our greatest asset. If we do not invest in them, we are failing not only them but the future of our country," he emphasizes.
Optimi Workplace believes that with strategic partnerships among corporates, higher education institutions, and other stakeholders, we can create innovative funding mechanisms to bridge this gap. This initiative is not just about financial assistance; it also aims to foster an ecosystem that nurtures talent, skills development, and economic inclusion.
Student Testimonial
The impact of this venture is far reaching and is felt mostly by the students whose lives are changed. Most of the students who cannot get funding, drop out of university and are further marginalized from the economy. Optimi Workplace is not just addressing an academic problem, but an even bigger socio-economic issue of inequality, unemployment and poverty.
One of the students who was a beneficiary of this programme is Vukona Gavin Mbhalati, from rural Limpopo, and this is his testimonial:
“I come from a small village called Guwela, in Giyani, Limpopo. Growing up in a rural area, I always had big dreams of pursuing a career in hospitality, but I knew that the road ahead would not be easy. Education has always been my priority, and through hard work and determination, I was able to obtain my first qualification. However, I knew I wanted to further my studies to create better opportunities for myself. That’s when I pursued my Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Management at the University of Johannesburg, making this my second qualification. While my academic journey was rewarding, it also came with significant financial struggles.
The university assisted me with R25,000 towards my fees, but I was still left with an outstanding balance of R10,810. Coming from a humble background, I had no means to pay this amount, and without settling my debt, I wouldn’t be able to graduate or collect my certificate. Then, something incredible happened Optimi Workplace stepped in and changed my life. When I was selected as a sponsorship recipient, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. At the time, I had no plan or means to pay off my debt, and Optimi became the miracle I had been praying for. Their support lifted a huge burden off my shoulders and gave me the opportunity to finally see my hard work pay off.
Today, I am proud to say that I will be able to collect my certificate on graduation day. This moment means everything to me because it represents the sacrifices, dedication, and perseverance that have brought me this far. I am deeply thankful to God, the Optimi staff, and my parents for their unwavering support throughout this journey. Optimi Workplace is not just helping students—they are transforming lives and opening doors to brighter futures. My hope is that they continue to extend this opportunity to others who, like me, are determined to succeed but face financial barriers. Their generosity has made a lasting impact on my life, and I will forever be grateful.”
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) stands out as a like-minded partner that shares this strong commitment to empowering South Africa’s youth. Optimi Workplace extends its gratitude to UJ and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Letlhokwa Mpedi, for their unwavering dedication to student success and its willingness to collaborate on solutions that drive meaningful change. Partnerships like these, when approached with intention and purpose, have the power to reshape the future of our country. By investing in the missing middle, we are investing in South Africa’s long-term economic prosperity and social cohesion. The time for action is now—together, we can change the face and fortunes of our nation.
As we celebrate Youth Month this year, 30 years after the birth of democracy in South Africa, it is a poignant time to recognise how far we’ve come and where we need to go to uphold the freedom and potential of the youth of South Africa.
On paper, the numbers don’t look good. There is a generation of unemployed people in South Africa, who are not in education, employment or training (NEETS). The gap keeps growing as the levels of unemployment keep increasing (36.35% in 2004 and 50.47% in 2023).
However, there are glimmers of hope and progress that should not be overlooked. And there is a generation of young people who need to remember, and recognise, that they are important, they have agency and they have the potential to turn the page and write a new chapter in their story.
The challenges, as we know, are many. However, the required solutions to the prevailing problems are not complicated.
When we talk about systemic changes and big bucket solutions, we tend to (unintentionally) dehumanise the lived experiences of many young people who are locked out of the economy. The millions of young people who are NEETS represent real lives with broken aspirations and disillusionment.
While we try to solve the problems for the millions, we must recognise the individuals who make up the scary numbers. If we put the young person’s lived experience front and centre, we will solve the most pressing challenges with them. Not for them, but with them.
Some of the highest barriers to employment include a lack of access to transport, so young adults are not able to look for employment and attend interviews, or gain valuable in-person work experience. Another issue is a lack of work-seeking support and limited access to relevant, quality skills development and training.
I believe that the public and private sector can co-create employment and self-employment opportunities that are curated for young people who are looking to transition from economic exclusion to inclusion.
The foundational skills, generically required by the economy of today and the future, are also often lacking. These include basic numeracy and literacy, as well as digital and social skills. When we think about solving this issue for a generation of young adults, it seems impossible, but if we look at it from the perspective of one person at a time it is achievable. And it must be achieved.
In recent years, there have been some fundamental, and positive, shifts in policy and advocacy in South Africa. These include the removal of barriers to entry in work experience requirements, the creation of a national minimum wage, as well as giving young South Africans the ability to learn while working, through programmes such as Learnerships, for example.
However, more needs to be done, to not only implement the policies and standards more consistently and coherently, but also to carve out new frameworks that support our youth in their learning and career goals.
I would argue that it’s not stricter enforcement of regulation that is needed, but rather a drive from inspirational, intentional leadership who aim to connect employers to a greater cause for the success of our country, inspiring them to remove barriers and assist young people to enter our economy.
While opportunities for the majority of young people in South Africa are constrained, it is still those who stand out from the rest who have a higher chance of rewriting how their story continues.
Matric results and post-school education still matter, but beyond the grades, young people can hone the following skills for a greater chance of success. I urge young South Africans to:
This Youth Month, I urge us to take a moment to realise that while the problems persist, so do the solutions. Not all is broken, and together, as the public and private sector, we need to work with young South Africans to understand their challenges and move forward with the solutions.
Sylvester Mokubedi is the Head of Sales & Marketing at Optimi Workplace, a division of the Optimi Group, one of South Africa’s leading names in the education and training industry.
This media release has been distributed on behalf of Optimi Workplace by Fox Street Communications. For more information, interview requests and images, please contact Lauren Hills on lauren@foxstreetcomms.co.za or +971 55 118 5233 (WhatsApp messages).
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Discretionary grants are funds awarded by the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) to support learning projects or programs that align with the goal of raising the skill levels of job seekers and employees. These learning programmes include learnerships, skills programmes, internships, and apprenticeships. To achieve effective learning programmes, organisations, employers, and training providers can apply for SETA funding.
Discretionary grants are typically awarded through a competitive process in which applicants submit proposals for projects or programs and are evaluated based on specific criteria. The awarding SETA uses its discretion to award the funds to the proposals that best meet its goals and objectives. These are typically non-PIVOTAL programs.
PIVOTAL programs are Professional, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning programmes. Discretionary funding is allocated to non-PIVOTAL programmes. Non-Pivotal Programmes are programmes that do not lead to credit-bearing qualifications but address the objectives and priorities that are key to SETA. Non-Pivotal programmes include Career Guidance and Sector Conferences.
Organisations, employers, and training programs are encouraged to apply for discretionary grants because they provide funding for specific projects or programs that align with the goals and priorities of the grant-making agency, including FoodBev SETA, CATHSSETA or BankSETA. The benefits of receiving a discretionary grant include:
1. Financial support for specific projects or programs that the organisation may not have the resources to fund on its own.
2. Recognition and validation of the organisation’s work and role in creating a future for South Africa.
3. Opportunities for networking and collaboration with other organisations and individuals in the field.
4. Potential for leverage of additional funding from other sources.
5. Potential to achieve greater impact and reach more beneficiaries than the organisation would be able to on its own.
The Food and Beverages Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FoodBevSETA) is responsible for education and training in the food and beverages manufacturing industry in South Africa. FoodBev SETA offers discretionary grants to support the training and development of individuals and organisations within the industry. These grants are intended to support the upskilling and reskilling of workers, as well as the development of new skills and technologies within the industry.
Eligible organisations may use discretionary grants to support a variety of initiatives, such as training programs, apprenticeships, and bursaries for students. Preference will be given to those applicants who apply for learning programmes that lead to occupations that are hard to fill in the food and beverages manufacturing sector as captured in the FoodBev SETA Sector Skills Plan (SSP).
The Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) is responsible for education and training through discretionary grants that support the training and development of individuals and organisations within these sectors. Their mandate is to facilitate skills development through grants for learning programs within the industry. This includes monitoring education and training initiatives outlined in the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS).
Eligible organisations may use CATHSSETA discretionary grants to support a variety of initiatives, such as training programs, apprenticeships, and bursaries for students. The grants are also intended to support the development of new skills and technologies within the culture, arts, tourism, hospitality and sports sectors, as well as to improve the overall competitiveness of the sector.
The Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA) is a South African statutory body acting within the broader banking and microfinance sector. BANKSETA is responsible for organisational and individual development through partnerships, skills development, and professional development.
They offer discretionary grants to organisations that provide training and education in the banking and microfinance sector. These grants are intended to support the development of skills and knowledge in the sector and can be used to cover the cost of training programs, equipment, and materials. The grant amount and specific requirements for applying may vary depending on the current funding available and the focus of BANKSETA's skills development initiatives.
FoodBevSETA, CATHSSETA and BANKSETA discretionary grant applications are now open for 2023/2024. Apply for Discretionary Grant from FoodBevSETA, CATHSSETA or BankSETA today!
