Allan Gray Makers

Allan Gray Makers Where technical talent meets entrepreneurial spirit 🇿🇦
A programme of Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies

This Youth Day, South Africa marks 50 years since the class of 1976 stood up for a better future. The path to financial ...
16/06/2026

This Youth Day, South Africa marks 50 years since the class of 1976 stood up for a better future. The path to financial freedom looks different for every generation, and for many young South Africans today it starts with a trade qualification.

With youth unemployment at 45.8%, the Trades represent one of the most powerful pathways to economic freedom in South Africa. By putting your business on a national stage, you become living proof that the trades are a first choice worth making.

Applications for Artisans of Mzansi 2026 close 30 June. Apply here: https://allangraymakers.pulse.ly/sznouyalbi

Do you know a plumber, electrician, builder or any other skilled tradesperson in your community who has built a business...
11/06/2026

Do you know a plumber, electrician, builder or any other skilled tradesperson in your community who has built a business from the ground up?

Artisans of Mzansi 2026 is looking for South Africa's best artisan entrepreneurs. There are four categories to enter based on business revenue, from micro businesses just getting started to established medium enterprises turning over more than R5 million. There is also an Innovation Award for artisans bringing new ideas, tools and methods to the trades, with no revenue requirement to enter.

This is a national competition with cash prizes of up to R200 000, a year of business advisory support, and a platform that celebrates trade entrepreneurs on the biggest stage in the country.

Someone in your community has earned this. Tag them and share this post to help us find the best artisan entrepreneurs in South Africa. Applications close 30 June.

Apply here: https://allangraymakers.pulse.ly/lfdezuy8td

A recent global study by MoneySuperMarket reveals that 69% of South African graduates would choose a career in the trade...
10/06/2026

A recent global study by MoneySuperMarket reveals that 69% of South African graduates would choose a career in the trades if they could start over. This shift highlights a growing appreciation for TVET colleges and the practical impact that comes with mastering a technical craft through vocational training.

At Allan Gray Makers, our mission is to ignite dignity and meaning by accelerating artisanal entrepreneurship, and that starts with helping established business owners scale their expertise into high-impact enterprises.

Time is running out, and it is now less than a month before entries for Artisans of Mzansi 2026 close.If you have built ...
09/06/2026

Time is running out, and it is now less than a month before entries for Artisans of Mzansi 2026 close.

If you have built a trade business from the ground up, this is your moment to step into the national spotlight and be recognised for the mastery behind your business.

Do not let 30 June come and go without your name on that application.

Winners walk away with up to R200 000 in cash and a year of business advisory support.

👉🏿 Apply now: https://allangraymakers.pulse.ly/stknoa3t2w

The trades are among the most future-proof careers in the world. As South Africa's AI economy grows, so does the demand ...
08/06/2026

The trades are among the most future-proof careers in the world. As South Africa's AI economy grows, so does the demand for the skilled tradespeople building and maintaining the data centres, solar plants, and smart buildings powering it. The more technology advances, the more the world needs the hands that make it real.

The physical expertise and on-the-ground judgement of a skilled tradesperson is what the AI economy depends on to function. Here is why the future is calling artisans. ⬇️

Artisans of Mzansi is a national platform designed specifically to spotlight the Trades and the talented entrepreneurs b...
05/06/2026

Artisans of Mzansi is a national platform designed specifically to spotlight the Trades and the talented entrepreneurs behind them.

The biggest barriers facing the trade industry are that young people do not see the trades as a viable career option, and the perception that trades are not scalable businesses. Being recognised on a platform of this calibre directly challenges both narratives and positions you as the professional you already are. And when a qualified artisan entrepreneur is celebrated on a national stage, it shifts what young people believe is possible for themselves.

Do you know a trade business whose story deserves to be on a national stage? Tag them below so they do not miss their chance to enter.

👉🏿 Apply now: https://allangraymakers.co.za/artisans-of-mzansi/

🎙️ We're gearing up for the second season of MakersPod, and we want to hear from you.Whether it’s pricing your work, man...
02/06/2026

🎙️ We're gearing up for the second season of MakersPod, and we want to hear from you.

Whether it’s pricing your work, managing a team, best practices, or something else entirely, drop your suggestions in the comments below. The best ideas might just make it into the next season.👇🏿

Mashstartup

27/05/2026

Even though he has a PhD and MBA, Dr Thamsanqa Myeza feels most comfortable in overalls. He entered Artisans of Mzansi in 2023 to challenge the stigma around technical trades and prove that being a qualified electrician is a prestigious, high-earning career.

Thamsanqa, owner of Imbewenhle Airconditioning and Refrigeration, won the Mature Phase category in 2023, and demonstrated how technical mastery creates jobs and drives the economy forward. His success shows that you can combine academic excellence with a hands-on craft to build a sustainable business empire.

Enter Artisans of Mzansi 2026 now through the link in the comments. 👇🏿

Recent data reveals that 43% of people see self-employment as the primary reason to choose a technical trade.This proves...
26/05/2026

Recent data reveals that 43% of people see self-employment as the primary reason to choose a technical trade.

This proves that technical mastery is the ultimate engine for young entrepreneurs to skip the ladder and own their future from day one.

In a country where youth unemployment remains one of the most pressing economic challenges, this is a necessary shift.

What’s the biggest draw of the trade for you? Let us know in the comments.👇🏿

This Africa Day, we salute the plumbers, electricians, builders, and technicians who keep our continent moving. From our...
25/05/2026

This Africa Day, we salute the plumbers, electricians, builders, and technicians who keep our continent moving. From our workshops to our construction sites, we celebrate the makers whose technical excellence is the backbone of our long-term development.

At Allan Gray Makers we are proud to stand behind the trade entrepreneurs who are solving local challenges with world-class skill. 🌍🛠️

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