Together We Pass partner, Skills Academy, is a distance learning college and is the brainchild of CEO Jan Badenhorst.
Jan Badenhorst began his journey with distance learning in 1992 at INTEC. In 2007, Jan Badenhorst left INTEC and started College SA. At College SA, Jan was attempting to resolve the issues he felt he was unable to at INTEC and so in 2009, Jan founded Skills Academy, a college that he wanted to incubate inside the larger college.
Today, Skills Academy services over 5,000 students a year. The college prides itself on service excellence and they have a strong belief that everyone has the right to study.
Its fees, payment structures, and services are all aimed at assisting more students to access further education.
What is Skills Academy all About?
At Skills Academy, they believe that everyone should be able to study further, regardless of their background or education level. School has never been a “one size fits all” solution.
As a result, many South Africans have been unable to gain access to tertiary education. Skills Academy look to do everything in our power to change that reality, and give as many people as they can the education they deserve.
Why is Distance Learning a Good Choice?
Distance Learning is a wonderful choice for people who are already working or cannot get to a place to study because of distance or other responsibilities.
Using Distance Learning lets you study from the comfort of your own home or wherever you are. You can study from anywhere in the world meaning that you can even study while you are travelling.
Apart from being a cheaper option to traditional study methods, it also offers you more freedom. This is because of the high amount of freedom it gives you. You get to study in your own time, scheduling your study sessions when it suits you. It also lets you choose where to study.
While it is generally a good idea to have a specific place to study, you can decide to change it up and study in the garden, a coffee shop, or anywhere else you can think of.
What Makes Skills Academy Different From Other Distance Learning Colleges?
Skills Academy has made many changes to how Distance Learning colleges function. From how their students can pay their fees to the services they offer.
These services help Skills Academy to not only stand apart from other distance learning colleges. It also lets Skills Academy give their students the best chance at not only studying but also successfully completing their studies.
- Quality Student Support – Skills Academy offers world-class support to their students, guaranteed. Resolve any study or account-related queries without any hassles. Skills Academy want to help you finish fast!
- 3-5 Day Delivery – Skills Academy send all study materials via courier service straight to your door (or preferred location). No need to lift a finger – get all your study materials in under a week!
- Finish Fast and Pay Less – Finished your course early? Then stop payments early. Signed up for a 12-month course? Finish in 10 months and don’t pay for the last two months. That’s a win in our books!
- Together We Pass Study Groups – Gain free access to study groups related to your course on the Together We Pass online platform. Interact with other students studying the same subjects as yourself.
- Easy Access – The majority of courses offered by Skills Academy are open entry, needing you to only bring the ability to write and read in the English language.
- 30-Day Money Back Guarantee – If you are unhappy with anything, you can get all your money back within the first 30 days after registration.
- Take a Break – Skills Academy gives you the option to place your studies on pause for as long as two months. If you know that you will not be able to study for a while, you can ask to pause your studies. For the time you are on pause you don’t need to pay. This means that you don’t pay when you can’t study.
- No Credit Check – While many colleges do credit checks and blacklist you when you miss a payment, Skills Academy won’t do that to their students. That’s right – No Credit Check, No Blacklisting. They won’t blacklist you if you miss a payment, and no credit checks are made before you apply. Why? Because everyone deserves a fair chance to further their education.
- EasyPay – Skills Academy makes use of the EasyPay system, a convenient payment system for those looking to pay study fees online. Payment for your Skills Academy studies can be made at a number of stores around the country, including at Pick n Pay, Checkers, Shoprite, and more!
Skills Academy Courses
Skills Academy has a very wide range of courses on offer. There are accredited courses and provider programmes.
They are accredited to offer courses from the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) as well as being accredited by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to offer National Diploma Courses. They also offer many short courses which cover a broad range of topics.
ICB
Skills Academy offers three different ICB courses. These are:
These courses and qualifications are internationally recognized and can give you the start you need to learn to advance your career in the workplace.
National Diploma Courses
Skills Academy has recently received permission to offer National Diploma Courses. These courses will give you a recognised qualification in South Africa. There are seven National Diploma courses that Skills Academy offers. The National Diploma courses on offer are:
- National N Diploma: Legal Secretary
- National N Diploma: Educare
- National N Diploma: Business Management
- National N Diploma: Financial Management
- National N Diploma: Marketing Management
- National N Diploma: Human Resource Management
- National N Diploma: Management Assistant
Provider Programmes
Skills Academy has also developed its own provider programmes which are designed to give you the best knowledge and skills possible in a short space of time.
These courses are usually between four to twelve months long and they can be a great first step or a wonderful refresher course for those who need it.
Some of the courses on offer include courses in the field of:
- Tourism and Guest House Management;
- Photography;
- Child Care;
- Computer;
- Forensic Sciences and Policing;
- Interior Design and Decorating;
- Beauty; and so much more!
These are just some of the wide range of subjects that you can do a course in at Skills Academy. View their full list of courses on their website.
For more information on Skills Academy and their services, visit their website here.
Last Updated: 02 February 2023