The learnership includes six months of training at the school itself after which the students are placed with various companies in the industry for six months. Here they get on-the-job experience and a proper taste of life in the industry. (Image: Red & Yellow)
The Red & Yellow School of marketing and advertising has a plan to transform the face of the South African marketing and advertising industry through its Springboard Marketing institute.
The institute is Red & Yellow’s way of contributing to social and economic upliftment in South Africa and is based on the idea that everybody has a right to education. Through its Red & Yellow Springboard Marketing Institute (RYSMI), the school offers students from disadvantaged backgrounds – who would otherwise be unable to attend the school – a chance to learn about and enter the world of marketing and advertising. At the institute, these students gain the knowledge and skills they need to go out and influence the industry and build careers.
SPRINGBOARD TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE
The institute is a learnership offered to promising young individuals. It includes six months of training at the school itself after which the students are placed with various companies in the industry for six months. Here they get on-the-job experience and a proper taste of life in the industry.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for them, and many view this as an opportunity to understand the science behind how brands communicate with them (and consumers) on a daily basis,” said Steph Houslay, Red & Yellow’s course director in Johannesburg.
“They’re driven to succeed, for themselves and for their families and communities.”
Through this initiative the school hopes to create a brighter future for talented young individuals who lack the resources to study for an industry-related qualification. “I am hugely excited and proud to be part of Springboard. This mutually beneficial relationship is the catalyst to real transformation we need to see our industry grow.”
The institute’s work will also serve to counter the ongoing growth of the income gap by arming underprivileged individuals with what they need to compete with their affluent counterparts on even ground.
One of the targets set by the school is to educate at least 100 000 graduates in Africa by 2020, with at least 10% or 10 000 of those students receiving free education as part of its transformation and skills development initiatives. (Image: Red & Yellow)
THE RED & YELLOW MISSION
One of the targets set by the school is to educate at least 100 000 graduates in Africa by 2020, with at least 10% or 10 000 of those students receiving free education as part of its transformation and skills development initiatives.
“After knocking on countless companies’ doors for leanerships/internships and jobs with no answer, RYSMI finally opened,” said Matome Malatji, one of the first students to go through the springboard initiative.
“I learned about the business and marketing environments; and creating my own business plan to understanding consumer behaviour; what a brief was and how to construct one; assessing a brief; events and project management; and lots more.
“Personally, I learned to rationalise and interrogate my thinking and ask ‘why?’ and answer that and ask ‘why?’ again. Today, I can honestly say that I am a better person because of the lifelong lessons I learned. Now the future looks very bright. God made it possible but RYSMI made it happen.”
PLAY YOUR PART
Are you playing your part to help improve the lives of the people around you or the environment? Do you know of anyone who has gone out of their way to help improve South Africa and its people?
If so, submit your story or video to our website and let us know what you are doing to improve the country for all.
