After establishing itself as an ADSL service provider, South African banking group Absa has diversified further, with its latest non-core offering - an Internet-based learning programme aimed at small businesses.
The group has already begun advertising the initiative to its clients, ahead of an official mid-May launch, and promises to provide R5 000 worth of free business and IT training.
Robert Downes, the project`s implementation manager, says the Absa Small Business division focuses on supporting the small and medium enterprise (SME) market, which the banking group considers as one of its most important client sectors.
"We want to offer a good deal to our clients, and one of Absa`s main focuses is supporting small businesses. After all, the better they are positioned, the better it is for us as well," he says.
Downes points out that traditional training programmes can be extremely expensive and time-consuming, often being inconvenient for small business owners who cannot remove themselves from their businesses for a few days to attend a course.
To this end, he says, Absa Small Business, in association with Barclays, has teamed up with performance improvement company MindLeaders to provide online training solutions for an annual administration fee of R300.
MindLeaders is an international employee and individual performance-improvement group with nearly 25 years of experience in technology-based, self-paced learning, Downes adds.
He explains that the Internet-based modules cover a wide range of topics - from networking and PC use, to software training and business skills - and are designed to enhance knowledge and skills, improve productivity and business performance, and save time and money.
This internationally recognised learning programme aims to offer small business owners insight into classic business skills, such as negotiating, time management, leadership, interviewing skills, providing good service and communications.
Downes also notes that in terms of IT training, the initiative provides training in Microsoft software applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. Technical software courses include MCSE, Cisco and CCNA qualifications.
"And because the learning is self-paced and online, you can take training whenever it suits you, even from home.
"As a small business, you don`t necessarily have all the training resources or infrastructure enjoyed by large organisations. But that doesn`t mean you have to lose out on the many benefits of ongoing training," he says.
While the initiative is only aimed at the SME market, Downes says it may eventually be extended to non-business clients.
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