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PPS DOING GOOD
Bursary Programme
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) fields in South Africa are suffering extreme
shortage of skills. This negatively impacts the country’s
innovative and productive capabilities. The PPS
Foundation Bursary Programme is one of our most
important initiatives, providing financial relief to many
underprivileged individuals.
PPS Foundation bursaries are only awarded to those
students who have proven their diligence. In 2018 we
provided funding to 61 students studying through
public universities and universities of technology. Of the
61 beneficiaries, 45 were pursuing qualifications in
STEM disciplines. As mandated by the Foundation
Trust, our emphasis is especially on empowering those
from previously disadvantaged demographic groups.
A major achievement in 2018 was obtaining public
benefit organisation status, providing us with the
opportunity to cast our funding net wider, including
PPS Members.
Graduate Internship Development
Programme
The Graduate Internship Development Programme
(GIDP) is a programme that introduces graduates to the
world of work. It also enables us to bring bright young
talent into the PPS Group. In 2018 we hosted 20 graduate
interns, who underwent an intensive 12-month learning
and development programme while being placed in
various departments within the PPS Group, to develop
their professional expertise. In 2019 we have taken in
25 such graduates after a rigorous selection process.
University Support Programme
Until 2016, our University Support Programme focused
solely on infrastructural projects. With the creation
of the PPS Foundation, the programme was updated
to fit our mandate, bringing it more in line with the
needs of the country, and alleviating the financial void
left by dwindling government funding for tertiary
institutions. It includes the development of student
support programmes and the funding of computer
labs. In short, the PPS Foundation seeks initiatives
that enhance and enrich the teaching and learning
experience for faculties and their students. This requires
the PPS Foundation to frequently engage with various
stakeholders and beneficiaries.
LEAP
Aimed at unemployed graduates, our LEAP
work-readiness programme offers young job-seekers
skills and competencies that are likely to make their
search a successful one. This innovative programme
empowers inexperienced job-seekers with the soft
skills necessary to engage with a potential employer.
Multiday workshops cover theoretical ground such as
personal branding, CV-writing, interview preparation,
THE PPS FOUNDATION
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