Go For Gold

Go for Gold is an award-winning education-to-employment public-private initiative.

Go for Gold was founded in 1999 through collaboration between companies in the Built Environment, the Western Cape Department of Education and Civil Society.

We give students from under-privileged communities the opportunity to enhance their education and transition through an internship year and onto tertiary education with guaranteed employment once they graduate.

The organisation’s four phase model creates skilled graduate professionals, who possess the self-belief to succeed.

Go for Gold has directly benefited over 400 individuals and enabled dozens of companies to attract and retain highly skilled, qualified personnel from disadvantaged communities.

  • Tackling Youth Unemployment


    Go for Gold is committed to expanding our Education to Employment programme to enable more young people from disadvantaged communities across South Africa to benefit from our holistic education and skills development programme.

  • Skills Development


    The demand to recruit our students from participating companies continues to grow and therefore to meet this demand and expand it further, we must establish new campuses and expand the number of students being tutored each year.
Our Vision
  • Go for Gold is dedicated to creating industry leaders through our education-to-employment model focusing on youth development.
Our Mission

Go for Gold, together with partners, provides a gateway for disadvantaged learners to realise their full potential and play a constructive role in society. Through our education-to-employment programme, we transition selected youth through a four phase, values-based academic and life-skills programme, which enables them to gather work experience, access a tertiary education and be fully prepared to become industrious professionals and leaders in the built environment and related industries.

Meet Our Dedicated Team

Go for Gold’s success is largely due to the active involvement of its partners in the development and roll out of the programme.

Board of Directors

Mike van Coller

chairman - metapipe

Amanda Mtya

UCT - Department of rural development & go for gold alumni

Chris Escreet

Board member - martin & east

Chrystal Poole

board member - h&i

Francis Chemaly

board member - h&i

Keith Adams

board member sutherland engineers

Vuyo Qubu

Board member - stefanutti Stocks

Werner Jerling

board member - ASLA

Granville Stander

board member - Western cape education department

Phumudzo
Baloyi

board member -
smart civils

Staff Members

Bridget-Ann Mullins

National Director

Janelle Fielies

edp programme coordinator

Hazel Arendse

logistics manager

Zayaan Phillips

programme administrator

Noxolo Mgudlwa

johannesburg programme Manager

Karen Rademeyer

Fundraising & Communication

Nicolette Vigeland

Operations and New Ventures Manager

Ziona Slamat

Alumni Coordinator

Ntokozo Duma

Finance

HR Advisory Forum

Go for Gold’s success is in part due to our commitment to collaborate fully with out partner companies and to ensure the programme adapts and evolves to meet market expectations. Representatives from our partner companies are invited to sit on the Go for Gold HR Advisory Forum, which meets every quarter to facilitate this important monitoring and evaluation function.

The following companies are currently represented on the forum:

Recognition & Awards

2005: IMPUMELELO GOLD AWARD

In 2005 Go for Gold was awarded an Impumelelo Gold Award for innovation in education Go for Gold was recognised in the Mckinsey Centre for Government’s ‘Education to Employment’ global report, as 1 of 100 initiatives from around the world which are making the ‘education to employment’ model work. Go for Gold was the only African project to be mentioned in the report We were awarded a Certificate of Appreciation in category of Education, in recognition of our commitment and work in education for the people in the Western Cape

2014: UNASHAMEDLY ETHICAL AWARD

In 2014 Go for Gold was awarded the Unashamedly Ethical Award in the category of Education, in recognition of our commitment ad work in education for people in the Western Cape.

2015: WESTERN CAPE MINISTERIAL YOUTH EXCELLENCE AWARD

In March 2023, Go for Gold was the Silver Award winner in the inaugural Western Cape Ministerial Youth Excellence Awards.

2015: EDUCATION INNOVATOR RECOGNITION

In September 2015 Go for Gold was recognised in the UCT Graduate School of Business Bertha Centre's Education Innovator Review as an innovative education programme.

2017: AFRICA TALKS JOBS CONFERENCE, ADDIS ABABA

Go for Gold was invited to present our four-phased programme for "best practice"in skills development at the African Union conference named Africa Talks Jobs in Ethiopia.