MUT has accelerated its drive to embed entrepreneurship across its academic landscape, partnering with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) to host an intensive three-day train-the-trainer workshop that kicked off on 26 August 2026. Organized by MUT’s Institutional Advancement (IA) directorate alongside the University’s entrepreneurship coordination team, the initiative brought together more than 30 future business trainers. The workshop forms a core part of the AFJ Project (Addressing Future Jobs Through Entrepreneurial Skills Development and Work-Integrated Learning), a €400,000 initiative funded by the European Union, and led by UJ to boost graduate employability and entrepreneurship in South Africa.
IA Director Dr Connie Israel expressed enthusiasm for the two-year partnership, highlighting that integrating entrepreneurship into MUT’s core curriculum by 2027 is a vital strategic goal. “At MUT, we need to start coordinating our needs and define who we are,” said Dr Israel. “With the AFJ project, we are looking at job creation through our trainees. We want to develop and consolidate an entrepreneurial mindset… This is a chance for the trainees to find their ideas and test them.”
Modjaji Baloyi of the IA directorate explained that the three-day programme takes participants through the entire business journey, from developing an entrepreneurial mindset, customer discovery, and business-model development, to finance, investor readiness, and pitching. “The real measure of success will not be the three days spent in this room,” Baloyi noted, emphasizing that the goal is to equip educators and student advisors with practical tools to integrate directly into classroom teaching.
Ntombi Mthembu, an Entrepreneurial Coordinator at MUT and Lecturer in Human Resources and Management, provided trainees with a pragmatic look at the South African business landscape. She warned that starting a business is challenging, noting that high failure rates within the first five years and reluctant bank financing are common hurdles.
However, Mthembu urged trainees to remain resilient by applying core entrepreneurial concepts, such as effectuation vs causation. “Leveraging existing resources and networks rather than waiting for bank loans, leaning into the “lemonade principle” to turn setbacks into advantages,” she said. Mthembu also advised the trainees to prepare for tough times, saying that they need to prepare for affordable loss, saying that investing only what one can afford to lose and sharing risks through strategic partnerships.
Mthembu also highlighted that despite the financial challenges, entrepreneurs often report higher job satisfaction by becoming their own bosses and creating societal value.
Adding to the academic insights, Dr Thulile Duma, Senior Lecturer in Human Resources and Management, delivered a session titled Recognizing and Shaping Opportunities. Dr Duma urged participants to differentiate between a simple idea and a viable business opportunity through thorough market research, clear thinking, strategic networking, and leveraging modern technology.
The workshop resonated strongly with attendees, including students already venturing into the business world. Nokwethemba Ntsele, a final-year Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health student, shared how the sessions shifted her perspective: “One of the biggest things I learned was that entrepreneurship is not simply about having a good idea. It is about being able to take that idea and turn it into something that creates value and can work in the real world.”
For Nhlanzeko Ndokweni, a third-year Agriculture student working under the mentorship of Dr Helen Mapeka, the workshop directly supports her start-up, Inhlanzeko Development Enterprise. “My goal is to build a sustainable agricultural business that can create opportunities, contribute to food production, and eventually create employment for others,” Ndokweni said. “Being involved in business while studying has taught me that having an idea is only the beginning. I still need skills such as business planning, marketing, financial management, and innovation.”