Mon Dec 07 13:06:00 UTC 2015
South Africa’s largest private sector employer, the Shoprite Group, is for the first time providing financial study assistance for pharmacy, accounting and retail related university and technical degrees also to matriculants. With only a few bursaries left, those who have not yet been successful in raising funds for their studies next year need to hurry as the closing date is looming.
Prospective students at universities, universities of technology and hotel schools from this year had the opportunity to apply for study bursaries from the Shoprite Group’s extensive bursaries programme in which R20 million was earmarked to provide financial assistance to students in 2016. They are urged to apply for bursaries before 12 December 2015 by visiting the site.
The Group have awarded more than 2500 bursaries over the past 20 years of its bursary programme, 70% of which was allocated in the past five (5) years alone as the need for student financial support became greater.
Bursaries are awarded for scarce skills programmes such as Pharmacy and Chartered Accounting, along with qualifications such as Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Information Technology, Industrial Engineering, Hospitality and Retail Business Management and Marketing.
Candidates may qualify for a bursary of up to R70 000, depending on the course of study and institution, which allows for tuition, book and accommodation fees. Each bursary granted is linked to a work back agreement with Shoprite, with career growth prospects within the Group thereafter.
In 2016, the Shoprite Group will also be sponsoring a learner from each of the Langa Educational Assistance Programme (LEAP) Science and Math School’s seven campuses in Gauteng, Limpopo and the Western Cape for the year. The programme was established in Langa, but has since expanded throughout the country. With mathematics, physical science and English as compulsory subjects, LEAP provides free education to promising grade 8-12 pupils from high-need communities whilst focussing on the emotional and social development of these learners.
The Shoprite Group recognises the enormous value of investing in opportunities for young people to obtain a qualification and acquire the necessary skills for gainful employment. A consistent employment generator, The Shoprite Group currently employs more than 138 000 people with 10 000 jobs created during the previous financial year alone.
Voted the number one employer of choice in the retail industry by current students and prospective bursary holders throughout South Africa, the Shoprite Group believes that the youth’s education is of utmost importance for social upliftment, economic growth and the prosperity of future generations. By providing bursaries to qualifying students, as well as educational loans and grants to its employees and their dependents, Shoprite aids and strengthens economic security and social welfare in the communities within which it trades.
The Group has already awarded 33 deserving Matriculants with study bursaries for next year. In 2015, the Group awarded bursaries to the value of almost R18 million, enabling over 310 students to equip themselves with the skills and qualifications to become future contributors of a strengthened economy.
On successful completion of their studies, pharmacy students have employment opportunities within one of Shoprite’s 157 MediRite pharmacies throughout South Africa, whilst the Group’s trainee management programme will aid retail business and hospitality management graduates in preparing them to become store managers.
Chartered Accountant (CA) field candidates can be placed within Shoprite’s South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) approved CA training programme to complete their internship as article clerks. The Logistics and Industrial Engineering graduates programme train managers for positions within one of the Group’s 20 distribution centres, whilst the IT and Marketing Trainee programmes assist graduates to gain the necessary specialised workplace experience.
Shoprite also contributes to the SAICA’s Thuthuka Bursary Fund which is specifically geared to support financially needy students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.
