As MasterStart marks its 10th anniversary, we reflect on a decade filled with growth, partnerships, and the empowerment of countless learners. From humble beginnings and overcoming numerous challenges to forging strong partnerships with leading institutions and industry experts, we now stand at the 10-year mark, offering a world-class portfolio of online training solutions that meet the evolving demands of the job market.
Speaking on the unique learning experiences we currently offer, Alexia Cox, Chief Learning Officer, shares more on the MasterStart method. “MasterStart bridges the gap between skills acquisition and certification, equipping learners with practical, industry-relevant competencies. By emphasising lifelong learning and personalised growth, we empower our community to succeed in their current roles and thrive in future opportunities,” she said.
A key part of delivering our skills training is through our academy. Since its launch in 2018, we’ve seen massive growth and expanded our campuses exponentially. Shaun Cowley, Head of Learning Technology at MasterStart, shared how imperative it was for the team to improve the overall learning journey. Since 2022, the Academy team, passionate about creating a user-friendly experience for the learners, have updated the course engine (the magic powering our online learning system) annually. “How our course engine is designed is really our differentiating factor. We give our learners everything they need and they get all the necessary information upfront,” he said.
Here are some key milestones that have shaped our edtech journey:
Building Strategic Partnerships
MasterStart’s success is built on strong partnerships with top academic institutions. We began our journey in 2016 by reselling USB-ED courses, which laid the foundation for future collaborations. Over the years, we’ve expanded our partnerships to include esteemed institutions such as GIBS Business School, UCT GSB, Coventry University, Wits Business School, and Richfield Graduate School of Technology. These alliances have allowed us to offer a diverse range of courses that cater to the evolving needs of learners and organisations.
Expanding Our Course Offerings
From leadership and management to technical skills, our course offerings have grown significantly. In 2018, in tandem with the launch of our online academy, we launched six new courses in collaboration with GIBS Business School and continued to expand our portfolio with UCT GSB and Cambridge Spark. By 2021, we had partnered with Wits Business School to launch six new courses and introduced our first technical courses, further diversifying our educational offerings.
Embracing Innovation and Growth
Innovation has been at the heart of MasterStart’s journey. In 2023, we expanded our offering to service the B2B market, reflecting our commitment to providing cutting-edge learning experiences to local organisations and set out on a path to become the market leader in competency-based training.
Impact and Recognition
Our impact extends beyond partnerships and course offerings. In the past four years, we have empowered over 16,356 learners and since 2018 we’ve worked with more than 1,100 businesses, including industry giants like ABSA, Liberty, Standard Bank, IBM and EOH.
MasterStart Founder, Jody Basson, highlights the company’s commitment to nurturing lifelong learning through our training. “At MasterStart, learning is more than a static process—it’s an immersive experience that transcends individual courses and nurtures lifelong learning journeys by integrating practical, industry-relevant skills with certification.”
As we celebrate these milestones, we remain dedicated to empowering South Africans through workplace-applicable skills development. “Through our account-based management model, we forge enduring partnerships with learners and organisations, tailoring learning solutions to drive continuous organisational improvements through individual professional development,” Basson said.
Our vision for the future is to continue making learning flexible, providing a safe place to grow and learn, and prioritising human connection and collaboration in all we do.
