Happy Women’s month! In South Africa, we celebrate women in the month of August while remembering the power that women bring to bear. On the 9th of August 1956, over 20 000 women of diverse races marched to the Union Buildings to protest the pass laws. Throughout our history, we’ve seen what women in leadership can do. At Optimi College, we want to highlight the women in leadership at our own organisation. Optimi College is proud to say that we embrace diversity, inclusion, and gender equality.
Eloise Nolte, the Managing Director of Optimi College, says that joining Optimi gave her work purpose: “To me, it’s a great responsibility, but also a great privilege to be able to direct my skills and effort towards this greater cause. What I do today, can open doors to new opportunities for someone tomorrow, and that’s really satisfying.”
According to Forbes Magazine, female leaders consistently show the same level of effectiveness and productivity as male leaders in the workplace. The majority of employees prefer to work for female managers, and their teams consistently show a higher level of 21st-century skills. These include effective communication, time management, and collaboration. Fewer employees burnout and employee retention and satisfaction is higher. Despite this, most workplaces still have a disproportionately high number of male leaders over female leaders. Optimi College provides women with the key to upskilling and becoming qualified to apply for leadership positions through our four offerings.
The Optimi College four offerings cover a range of needs in South Africa’s workplace. We have short courses (some taking as little as 6 months to complete) available in interest-free monthly instalments. The four sectors are:
- Commerce Academy
- IT Academy
- Technical Academy
- Adult Matric
Commerce Academy
The Commerce Academy offering offers Business Management, Bookkeeping and Accounting, and Human Resources certifications. These courses are provided through our partner, College SA, and certified through the ICB, CIMA and the SABPP.
IT Academy
The IT Academy Offerings include Software Development, Network Engineering and IT Engineering courses. Also included are a Microsoft Bundle, CompTIA Bundle, and IT Professional course. Certified through Microsoft, CompTIA, Cisco, and more.
Technical Academy
Optimi College’s Technical Academy is certified through local regulatory body Umalusi and provides N1 to N3 certifications in Welding, Boilermaking, Mechanics, Motor Trade and a Fitter and Turner course.
Adult Matric
Never got a chance to complete your matric? Not having a matric can be a barrier to some of the most basic employment levels. Climbing the rungs of the ladder up to being a woman in leadership starts with the first step: Getting your adult matric certificate, also known as the Amended Senior Certificate (ASC).
Optimi College is passionate about the opportunities that education offers women in South Africa. Our MD, Eloise Nolte said it the best: Education is a gift that someone receives that will change their life forever. Something like a Matric is SA, is still very much an entry requirement to the job market, and by making it easier for an adult to get this qualification, we can change the trajectory of someone’s life forever.
