About us
Young Aspiring Thinkers is a non-profit company and public benefit organisation in Rosebank, Johannesburg. We started in 2019 running career exposure and mentorship programmes in schools, and have grown into a technology business: Career Studio carries that work to every learner, from Grade 8 to a first job.
Our mission and vision
Vision
Connecting bright young minds to economic opportunities.
Mission
Building career development infrastructure for marginalised groups (young women, young people in underserved communities and persons with disabilities), from school through TVET, college and university, so that corporates and national bodies can source, vet and pathway talent into growth opportunities.
Young women
Career exposure for young girls puts learners in the workplaces of careers they may not have seen, in front of the women doing the work.
Young people in rural and low-income communities
We run our programmes in the schools and communities where career guidance is hardest to come by, rather than waiting for learners to find it.
Young people with disabilities
We start from capability: a young person’s options are set by their interests and strengths, never by a disability.
Our milestones
- 2019
Olievenhoutbosch Secondary School
Young Aspiring Thinkers, affectionately known as YAT, founded in 2019, implemented the first Career Exposure session with over 100 learners.
- 2020
YAT x Oracle
2020–Present
YAT partnered with Oracle South Africa from 2020-Present to deliver their career development program which has impacted over 2000 learners in Ponelopele Secondary School to date.
- 2020
YAT x Münster School of Business
2020–Present
2020-Present. YAT partnered with Münster School of Business in Germany to deliver Social Entrepreneurship workshops to learners in our programs.
- 2021
YAT x Emzingo U
2021–Present
2021-Present. YAT has partnered with Emzingo Global Impact Fellowship by having undergraduate and postgraduate interns work in our team. Students from France, Canada, Spain and the US gained practical work experience.
- 2022
YAT x ChangeNOW
In 2022, YAT was selected as one of the top 1000 Education solutions in the world and invited to pitch our business at the ChangeNOW Summit in Paris, France.
- 2022
YAT x BCG
2022–2023
In 2022 we were selected as part of BCG 6-month accelerator. Later in 2023, BCG’s conversion to being our client led to us running the strategy and implementation for their youth day initiative.
- 2023
YAT x GIBS
2023–Present
In 2023 - Present, YAT partnered with the number one business school in Africa, as the official immersion partner for students and corporates creating a pipeline of developed future leaders.
- 2024
YAT x BMW
In September 2024, YAT won the social responsibility award for its work with learners and advocacy of SDG awareness in South Africa.
- Selection
YAT x Global Changemakers
We were selected as one of 50 international social impact organisations by Global Changemakers.
- Top 20
YAT x Mr. Price Foundation
We were selected in the top 20 youth owned innovative businesses by the Mr Price Foundation Bindzu Youth Programme in Gauteng.
- Working group
YAT x Y20
We were selected to contribute towards shaping AI and Education policies under the Y20 AI, Education and Digital Transformation working group.
- 2025
YAT x Youth Vision Assembly 2025
Selected by the Centre for Diplomatic Advancement to represent South Africa at the Youth Vision Assembly in the Netherlands for outstanding social impact.
- Partnership
YAT x Nedbank
We partnered with Nedbank to deliver their Work Readiness Programme, “The Corporate Canvas: Mastering Your Professional Identity,” for Accounting and Quantitative graduates from the University of Cape Town, University of Pretoria, Stellenbosch University, University of the Witwatersrand, and the University of Johannesburg.
- Career day
YAT x Trevor Noah Foundation
We worked with the Trevor Noah Foundation to launch their inaugural career day, reaching around 1,012 learners from Siyabonga Secondary School and Willow Crescent Secondary School.
- 2026
YAT x Injini and the Mastercard Foundation
Selected for cohort 4 of the Injini EdTech Fellowship, run with the Mastercard Foundation.
- 2026
YAT x MTN SA Foundation
Lebo Mmatjie represented YAT in the MTN Women in Digital Business Challenge, run with the EBL Institute, and YAT was selected as one of ten Black women-owned digital businesses backed with R100,000 and mentorship.
- 2026
YAT x Edtech Impact
Career Studio was awarded the Edtech Impact Quality Pedagogy certification, recognising the learning design behind the platform.