The Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA) will host an Open Day on Saturday, 30 August where prospective higher education students can experience the Cape Town campus and its many opportunities. TSiBA students will be hosting tours of the campus, sharing their experiences with potential applicants so they can get insight into what TSiBA has to offer.

TSiBA is registered and accredited with the Department of Higher Education as a private higher education institution. TSiBA is a unique private, not-for-profit business school founded in 2004 to assist people who may have difficulty accessing educational opportunities due to academic of financial constraints. It is TSiBA’s mission to graduate entrepreneurial leaders who ignite opportunity and social change and who want to make a difference in their communities.

Adri Marais, CEO and TSiBA co-founder, explains, “TSiBA degree graduates leave with an accredited business degree, 95% chance of finding a job as well as the skill-set that enables them to successfully undertake advanced tertiary education, or become entrepreneurs in their own businesses. TSiBA secures funding and sponsors so students are not required to pay the institution back for tuition scholarships, but rather to Pay it Forward into their communities. From 2014 students in the degree programme, who are able to pay, will contribute a fee on a sliding scale structure to assist with scholarships for their peers; however no student is ever denied the opportunity to apply to study due to lack of funding.”

Moegamat Adiel Abrahams, prospective student was really inspired when he visited the campus earlier in 2014. He says, “I enjoyed the campus tour by students and what stood out for me was how everything revolves around giving back to the community. I liked the fact that everything was explained in detail and that everyone was really friendly.”

Bethwill Cloete, TSiBA’s Recruitment Officer and Bachelor in Business Administration graduate, says, “At our Open Days we literally open the doors to the public. People visit the campus, get to meet students and experience TSiBA first-hand. Students say TSiBA feels like you’re part of a community – you are more than a just a student number to staff and colleagues. TSiBA invests in our students by giving them focused attention to grow their leadership and entrepreneurship skills as we want them to succeed.”

Cloete continues, “Applications for study at TSiBA in 2015 are officially open. We encourage any student with an interest in business to apply. TSiBA graduates are working at big organisations like Oceana, Old Mutual, Sanlam, JP Morgan and Prudential in various roles like Investment, Finance, Human Resources, Client Service and some have become entrepreneurs in their own businesses or are pursing postgraduate study. What makes TSiBA even more unique is that we have a Career Centre which works with students while they are studying, as well as after they leave TSiBA, to help find employment.”

Zikhona Ngumbela, TSiBA Bachelor in Business Administration student and Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Candidate Fellow recalls that when she joined TSiBA in 2011 she finally began to realise her dream of one day becoming an entrepreneur. “It was scary at first, but in the years I have been at TSiBA I have gained confidence in this dream. TSiBA has opened the doors to many opportunities for me; it has made me into the woman I am today. I’m very excited about the future – about graduating, as well as ultimately bringing about positive change in this country.”

To be accepted at TSiBA, applicants need to have matric, but can apply with a higher certificate instead of a degree level pass. Those who are older than 25 years can apply for recognition of prior learning. Applications for 2015 are now officially open and close on Tuesday, 30 September. TSiBA also has a second campus, TSiBA Eden, in the town of Karatara, near Knysna.

For more information on how to apply, or if one would like to have a tour of the campus, phone Bethwill Cloete on 021 532 2750 or email study@tsiba.org.za. Alternatively, visit www.tsiba.org.za.