Our Cape Town Branch attended the Go for Gold Fund raising Gala dinner on Thursday 08 June 2017 at the Shimmy Beach Club Waterfront. We certainly look forward to next year that shall include or Gauteng Branch. THANK YOU for a wonderful evening Go For Gold!
Seeing that Go for Gold’s Education-to-Employment programme has worked for us having placed graduates from this programme into the workaday world we have decided to continue supporting the programme.
Here is a write up with more information about the Education-to-Employment programme that we are privileged & proud to support.
About Go for Gold:
Go for Gold is an award-winning ‘education-to-employment’ public-private initiative, founded in 1999 through a collaboration between companies in the Built Environment, the South African Department of Education and civil society.
It was created to directly improve the number of young people, from disadvantaged communities, eligible to study towards a technical profession and then secure employment in the built environment and related industries.
It has a dual purpose:
a. To enhance learner participation and performance in Mathematics and Science, promote computer literacy, and instil self-confidence by nurturing the potential of disadvantaged young people who seek a career in the built environment
b. To provide the built environment with highly motivated, suitably equipped candidates and new talent for the sector.
The organisation’s four phase model is centred on the premise that in order to create future skilled graduate professionals, who also possess the self-belief to succeed, requires long term investment where the whole child is developed – i.e. both academically and emotionally. Fundamentally the programme undertakes:
a. Phase 1: Provide after-school tutoring in pure Mathematics, Physical Science and Computer skills to selected students during their Grade 11 and 12 school years.
b. Phase 2: Before students enrol in university or college, they give students the opportunity to
experience a variety of professions by completing an internship at a sponsoring company, during
which their interest and suitability for a particular field is tested. During this year, in which student
grows and matures enormously, Go for Gold provides bridging courses in Maths and Science to help
better prepare them for their tertiary studies.
c. Phase 3: Go for Gold then helps secure bursaries for student tertiary studies – i.e. engineering, quantity surveying, project management and so forth
d. Phase 4: Go for Gold then secures employment from sponsoring companies for graduate students, who then work back their bursary.
Each phase of the programme supports beneficiaries academically, personally and professionally while affording companies multiple ways to gain return of their investment. The four phased programme is said to be unique because Go for Gold supports groups of learners from the beginning of their career pipeline, strengthening results in Maths and Science, thus opening more doors for courses of study. The throughput of the four phases harnesses success in qualified and technical staff for the built environment. Go for Gold supporting partner companies benefit by building their human capital and overall strengthening the South African economy by employing staff who are loyal to their employers for walking the journey with them.
Currently Go for Gold operates in the Western Cape, Gauteng and Eastern Cape regions and possesses the ability to expand all over South Africa.
The Go for Gold Fundraising Dinner and Auction is an annual event that boasts attendance by Go for Gold partner companies, all of whom are major players from the South African environment who have supported the 4 phase Education-to-Employment programme since 2005.
The fundraising event is intended for industry professionals to enjoy an evening of entertainment, high profile guest speakers and an auction to raise funds to capacitate Go for Gold in their efforts to develop deserving and talented youth from some of South Africa’s poorest communities, who are interested in pursuing technical careers in the built environment.
All funds raised at the Go for Gold annual event are allocated toward programmatic expenses to support the beneficiaries on the 4 phase programme.
Highlights of the event included:
MC for the evening, Liezel van der Westhuizen: Best known as the blonde-bombshell presenter of SABC 3’s daily breakfast show EXPRESSO, as well as for making waves as the first ever female presenter of MNET Idols, Liezel van der Westhuizen has become one of SA’s most in demand celebrity presenters. Having MC’d more than 100 events for top clients, including the Acer Aspire Launch, MTN’s Womens Day, Oakley Summer Launch and Blackberry App launch to name a few, she is also an acclaimed radio presenter, actress and endurance athlete.
Guest speaker, Professor Piet Naudé: Well-known academic, public speaker, column writer and Director at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB), former vice-chancellor responsible for teaching and learning at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth, has more than twenty years of management experience of universities. His expertise lies in ethics related to politics, economics and business. He is a highly rated researcher and has published more than 100 articles in academic journals and has presented at almost 150 national and international conferences and academic occasions on topics related to public ethics and forms of social justice. He is a member of a number of academic societies.
He is currently the African representative on the executive committee of the International Society for Business Economics and Ethics (ISBEE) and a board member of EthicsSA. He is the past president of the Business Ethics Network of Africa (BEN-Africa), where he led partnerships in 21 African countries. Prof Naudé has received numerous awards nationally and internationally. He is an active public and conference speaker, a consultant on value-driven organisations to many national companies, and a column writer for the last decade. In 2011, he was named the Vodacom Journalist of the Year.
Musical entertainment by Sterling EQ: Sterling EQ boasts four successful releases, three major music awards, over 900 live performances across 13 countries since 2007, and tens of thousands of followers worldwide. They have performed for live audiences of up to 40,000, and on live broadcasts to millions of global television viewers. The multiple award-winning instrumental pop group is made up of celebrated flautist Carina Bruwer who is also well-known for her record-breaking marathon swimming feats, ace violinist Luca Hart and the enchanting Ariella Caira on cello – three Classically trained virtuosos with dozens of awards, degrees and distinctions between them, who share a passion for the latest beats and pop sounds. Career highlights include winning an SA Music Award in 2011, a 2013 Ghoema Music Award and a 2013 Huisgenoot Tempo Award, signing a major record deal with EMI South Africa in 2011, performing at top events like the SAMA Awards
3 Show, the FIFA Congress Opening Ceremony and Official World Cup Banquet (2010), the World Travel Awards in India, Dubai, Durban and Johannesburg, SA Idols 2011 (guest artist), the IPL 2009 Opening Matches and the Cape Town Stadium launch and numerous private and corporate parties, events and showcases. Other memorable career moments include collaborating with the likes of Boney M, Dave van Vuuren and Loyiso Bala; sharing stages with artists such as Snow Patrol, Carole Samaha and Lira, and performing in front of celebrities like Elton John, Liz Hurley, Annie Lennox, Lance Armstrong and Dr Robert Rey, amongst others.
Comedic entertainment by Mel Jones: She is a well-known South African comedian, award nominated producer and an energetic entertainer. Her career started taking flight when she was fondly received at the Spier Amphitheatre only 6 short weeks after doing her very first open mic slot. Since then, you may have heard her on the radio as co-presenter of a very popular morning show, seen her on SABC3’s Comedy Showcase, as their first hostess, no less, the Phat Joe show, the King Size Comedy Tour, the Blacks Only Comedy Show, Mind The Gap, The Heavyweight Comedy Jam, Kings & Queens of Comedy, the critically acclaimed comedy & sketch show, Bitches, the Vodacom Funny Festival where she was their very first female host, Comedy Central and there’s a strong possibility that you may have read about her in various magazine.
Auction-tainment by Charity Auctioneer, Motivational Speaker and Real Estate Auctioneer, Mr Joey Burke from GoIndustry Dovebid: Joey has been working in the auctioneering trade for 38 years and his knowledge and complete understanding of the business provides the perfect platform for successful asset and real estate sale realisation. He has been with GoIndustry DoveBid for 7 years and operates with integrity, transparency and real passion for what he does. His highest auction transaction was a property in Mobeni Durban which was sold for R161 Million at the fall of the hammer. Joey Burke has conducted high profile NGO auctions such as the Nelson Mandela 466664 Charity with attendees of the likes of Bono, Oprah and Madiba himself present where he raised R2-million for the charity in one night and since then has raised over R40-million for charities across the country.
By supporting the Go for Gold 4 phase Education-to-Employment programme, together we can strengthen the South African built environment, make a tangible difference to talented youth stuck in the cycle of poverty and transform them into technically qualified graduates who add to our economy.
For any information on how to become a contributor towards Go or Gold get in contact with our offices so that we can refer you to the correct people so that we can all grow our community together and become a stronger, prouder nation in South Africa.
Regards,
Grant de Jongh
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