i-Fundi is a private Further Education and Training institute, based in Sandton, Johannesburg. Founded in 2000, we are amongst the first training providers to gain SETA accreditation for the implementation of learnerships. Passionate about skills development and job creation, over the last 15 years, we have managed learnership programmes across the country for more than 12,000 youth in partnership with some of South Africa’s leading companies. Our clientele includes corporates in most business sectors, including banking, insurance, telecommunications, security, real estate, business process outsourcing, mining, retail and the public sector.
i-Fundi was formed in 2000 by development management professionals, Stefan Lauber and Fariba Bowen. Responding to a call for proposals for skills development and job creation programmes for unemployed youth by the Swiss South African Co-operation Initiative, i-Fundi secured funding to establish a call centre learnership programme for 200 youth in conjunction with the Services SETA.
Recognising the success of the programme, in 2005 the Department of Labour selected i-Fundi as an Employment and Skills Development Agency (ESDA) – an initiative to promote the roll-out of learnerships across industries and geographic locations. In 2007, a learnership programme for contact centre supervisors was initiated that provided agents with the opportunity to advance their career along a well defined career path. Since then we have launched numerous new programmes, all aimed at introducing new talent and growing staff in vocational occupations.
Stefan Lauber is the founder and managing director of i-Fundi. Born in Switzerland, he came to South Africa as a monk in 1992. He lived and worked in the informal settlement of Orange Farm for four years, where he set up the Centre for Community Development with the assistance of the Swiss business community. Following a period as a researcher at the Wits university, Stefan joined Deloitte as a senior consultant. In 2000, Stefan branched out to start i-Fundi. His prime passions of creating jobs, developing people and bringing sustainable benefits to clients have combined to create a winning formula.
Fariba Bowen is co-founder and executive director of i-Fundi. She holds a Masters degree in Public and Development Management from Wits University. Originally from Australia, Fariba spent over ten years working in the field of social and community development throughout Africa. Prior to founding i-Fundi, she was a consultant in the development units of Deloitte and Ernst & Young. Today, Fariba applies her business experience together with her commitment to social transformation to her work at i-Fundi.
i-Fundi holds primary accreditation as a training institution with the Services SETA: decision number 0435.
Download our Accreditation Certificate in PDF format here.
i-Fundi is also accredited for programme delivery with the following SETAs:-
- MICT SETA
- W&R SETA
- INSETA
- LGSETA
- BankSETA
- ETDP SETA
Download our Accreditation Certificate in PDF format here.
We are a level 2 Contributor (135%) in terms of the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment scorecard rating system.
Download our BEE Certificate in PDF format here.
i-Fundi are pioneering leaders in employment and skills development. As one of the first organisations accredited to run learnerships in South Africa, i-Fundi has been at the forefront of innovations in career development for nearly two decades.
In 2005, we were selected by the Department of Labour to serve as an Employment and Skills Development Agency to scale up the roll out of learnerships. We have also been part of the dti’s Monyetla Work Readiness Programmes since its inception in 2006.
Over the last 15 years we have developed a state of the art online learning system, systems and procedures for large-scale learnership management and multi-sector programme offerings.
Today, i-Fundi is accredited with eight SETAs for more than 20 qualification and 100 short courses. We offer generic business qualifications required across all sectors, such as Project Management, Generic Management, Business Administration and Contact Centre Support at levels 1 to 5 on the National Qualifications Framework. We also provide occupational qualifications across industries, ranging from Retail, Real Estate, Banking, Insurance, IT and Local Government.
i-Fundi is able to deliver programmes anywhere in the country. We have three branch offices, an extensive network of experienced facilitators, distance and e-Learning solutions and dedicated account managers.
Holistic learning approach
i-Fundi’s training helps to build learners’ confidence and motivation from within, creating extraordinary people who can excel in the workplace and in life. All our qualifications start with training in personal awareness and life skills, followed by occupation-specific skills development. Our programmes are delivered by experienced facilitators who are subject matter experts.
Improved workplace performance
i-Fundi is driven to help companies improve workplace performance. Using tried and tested management processes, we ensure that the desired results are achieved using tools such as an evidence tracking systems, online portfolios and assessments and a learner management system. Evaluation and ROI systems are built into our programmes from the beginning, to show measurable improvements on key performance indicators.
Hassle free implementation
We are committed to ensuring minimal disruption to your business operations during the learning process. This is achieved through flexible programme delivery options that are tailored to your business needs and project management support to reduce your administrative burden.
Changing lives is at the heart of i-Fundi. We have helped 13,000 people to become qualified and secure gainful employment. Our free Community of Experts events have reached over 1500 HR professionals, sharing HR and learning best practice with the corporate community.
As founding partners of the Ubuntu Initiative and Jobs Summit, we are working with 20 key industries to create another 100 000 jobs, helping to combat the rampant unemployment problem and transform the future of South Africa.
