Page 41 - Education Supplement August 2025

Former learner Ntsika Maseko captures this idea
perfectly:
*“I cannot express enough how life-changing my
Building New Mindsets journey with Advanced Assessment and Training has
At Advanced Assessments, the first step isn’t about teaching been. Coming from a small township with nothing
workplace skills – it’s about shifting how learners see but a hunger to learn and a desire to improve my
themselves. life, I had no idea how deeply this experience would
shape me.
Many of the young people who enter the programme come
Through the learnership programmes, I’ve received
from communities where crime seems like the quickest
constant guidance and support from dedicated
route to success. Others have grown used to gaming the facilitators who truly cared about my growth.
system, because no one has ever shown them a better
Advanced is more than just a learning facility – it’s
way. After COVID, this mindset problem deepened. Online
a hub of opportunity for countless young people who,
“study” options became loopholes. Learners realised they
like me, come from disadvantaged backgrounds but
could collect multiple stipends without setting foot in a
carry a deep drive to grow and succeed.
real-world placement. For a while, it worked – but it also
Today, I’m proud to say that I’ve been
kept them stuck.
employed through one of Advanced’s most
meaningful initiatives: Cub Club. It’s a project that
The team at Advanced meets learners exactly where they
gives back to communities like the one I come from,
are, but refuses to leave them there. Through bootcamps,
and I’m honoured to now be part of a team that helps
mentorship, workplace readiness coaching, and honest
uplift others.
conversations, the programme nudges learners away from
It’s a full-circle moment – the opportunity given to
short-term thinking and toward long-term growth.
me is one I now get to pass on.
This cycle of growth, empowerment, and giving
The goal isn’t just to hand out certificates. It’s to build
back is exactly what Advanced stands for. As their
resilience, confidence, and a sense of purpose. Learners walk
vision so powerfully states:
away with more than just technical skills – they leave with
Advance yourself, advance a nation.”*
the tools to lead, in their careers, their families, and their
communities.
Real Work, Real Companies, Real Futures Closing the Loop
One of the most important aspects of the programme is There’s no quick fix for the challenges young South
that it connects learners to real jobs in real companies. Africans face – but there are better ways to start. When
This isn’t theory – it’s action. Learners are placed in systems change, people change with them. And when
businesses like Motus Group, Liquid Telecoms, and others young people are given the tools to lead instead of
across the country. just survive, the results ripple outward into families,
companies, and communities.
For many, this is the first time they’ve been welcomed into a
professional environment where their contribution matters. That’s the work Advanced Assessments is doing.
For some, it’s the first time they’ve believed they could Quietly, consistently, and one learner at a time.
belong there.
For more information, contact:
Support doesn’t end with the workplace. Many learners face Advanced Assessments
additional barriers, from anxiety and learning differences to Phone: 010 110 0081
the weight of growing up in under-resourced communities. Email: apply@aaat.co.za
The programme addresses the whole person, not just the CV.
Website: www.advancedassessments.co.za

A Cycle of Growth
This is not just about education reform – it’s about rebuilding
the economy, fostering social mobility, and restoring dignity
to young people who have often been overlooked.

South Africa cannot afford to keep recycling outdated
models that leave learners behind. The country needs
new thinkers, new leaders, and new ways of approaching
skills development. This is how real change happens: not
overnight, but through continuous cycles of growth, learning,
and giving back.

Education | August 2025 | 39