By Aurelia Mbokazi-Kashe

Sipho Claassen believes in second chances and untapped potential. Through Boundless Group, he’s opening doors that once seemed locked. From township campuses to bustling tourism hubs, he’s giving young people the skills, confidence, and courage to dream bigger. His approach is simple — train hard, think differently, and create your own opportunities. Every programme he builds connects learning to real jobs, real businesses, and real change. Sipho isn’t just helping youth find work; he’s helping them find purpose. By 2030, he hopes to see over 100 000 young South Africans standing tall, skilled, employed, and unstoppable.

Q: How did Boundless Group start, and what gap were you aiming to fill?
I found myself in skills development back in 2005, by pure chance. It began with
organising and delivering seminars across Africa, from East Africa to Namibia and Eswatini, connecting captains of industry with people hungry for specialised knowledge in sectors like mining and construction.

In 2010, I joined CATHSSETA, which marked the real beginning of my journey in youth and skills development through accredited learnerships. That experience opened doors to incredible opportunities and shaped my vision. After working across several SETAs, I saw a clear gap for a more agile, people-focused approach to development, and that’s how Boundless Consultant Group was born.

Q: Youth unemployment is a huge challenge. What makes your approach different?
Having worked with several training providers, I realised most expect young people to travel long distances, often taking two or three taxis, to access opportunities in city centres like Randburg or Cape Town.

For many, especially those earning small stipends or living with disabilities, this is simply unsustainable. At Boundless, we decided to flip the model: instead of young people chasing opportunities, we take opportunities to them.

Our first campus in Soweto allows learners to walk or take a short taxi ride to class, keeping costs low and access fair. Many of these young people also support families, so proximity matters. Our long-term plan is to build nine more campuses by 2030, all in townships and rural areas. We want to be where the youth are—not in the suburbs, but at the heart of their communities.

Q: Why choose travel, tourism, and hospitality for the “10 000 Jobs Initiative”?
Our core mandate is employability, and the travel, tourism, and hospitality sector offers exactly that because the barriers to entry are low. With just a short training, sometimes a week or two, a young person can become a barista, work in housekeeping, or serve as a concierge. These roles don’t require formal qualifications, which is vital since many of our youth are not in employment, education or training.

Beyond accessibility, it’s an inspiring sector. It offers young people the chance to dress professionally, meet people from all walks of life, and even travel. I started as a waiter after school, and that job introduced me to global figures and later opened doors for me to work in Botswana. Tourism may be entry-level, but it’s also aspirational, a gateway to the world.

Q: You’ve partnered with big names like Fancourt and Four Seasons. What do these partnerships mean for young people on the ground?
We’ve been intentional about partnering with industry leaders like Fancourt, Four Seasons, and Saxon. These are prestigious names, and for our young people, working in such environments is transformative. Over 200 learners have gone through Fancourt, with an absorption rate of around 45%. At Saxon, three graduates from our Soweto campus are thriving, gaining invaluable real-world experience.

For many, these are places they’d never have had access to, yet now they’re part of them, learning from the best and building confidence. Having “Fancourt” or “Saxon” on a CV opens doors across the hospitality industry. Our goal is to use our networks and corporate credibility to connect young people with life-changing opportunities and ensure they leave our programmes ready for long-term success.

Q: Through your Soweto campus, you’re training entrepreneurs. Can entrepreneurship be taught?
I believe entrepreneurs are born, but their skills can absolutely be refined through education. Programmes like ours help unlock what’s already there, shaping raw talent into leadership and business acumen. You might have the drive, but you still need to learn how to read a balance sheet or manage finances.

Education doesn’t create the entrepreneur, it hones them. It helps them navigate challenges with knowledge and confidence. Entrepreneurship is tough, but with the right training, natural talent becomes sustainable success.

Q: Funding is one of the biggest hurdles facing SMEs. How are you helping them?
Access to capital is a major challenge for small businesses, so we focus on readiness. In August, we hosted the Johannesburg Stock Exchange at our Soweto campus, bringing together over 300 SMEs and partners like Vodacom, Merchant Capital, and Axis Bank for a capital-matching workshop. The aim was to prepare entrepreneurs to face funders confidently, teaching them how to pitch, structure financials, and understand what investors look for.

Too often, businesses are declined without feedback. We bridge that gap, helping township entrepreneurs build the knowledge and confidence to attract funding and grow sustainably.

Q: Boundless has impacted thousands already. Share a success story that inspires you most.

One story that stays with me is about Tshepiso, a young man we placed in a retail internship back in 2016 through our Kukuwa programme. Years later, while moving into new offices in Randburg, I met him again, now the store manager at Bean Tree Café. Seeing how far he’d come was deeply moving. He offered me coffee to say thank you, but I told him to pay it forward.

Moments like that remind me why we do this, creating opportunities that transform lives and empower young people to give back.

Q: Looking ahead five years, what’s your vision for Boundless, for youth, and for South Africa’s economy?
By 2030, our goal is to establish 10 Boundless campuses nationwide, with the next one set for Fancourt as a hospitality hub. We aim to impact over 100 000 young people through programmes in tourism and hospitality, ICT, and the growing green economy.

We believe this vision is achievable through strong partnerships with institutions like Saxon, Fancourt, Cisco, and Oracle — because transforming youth potential into economic impact requires collaboration and shared purpose.

Q: On a personal level, what are you most grateful for in this work?
What keeps me going is seeing lives transformed. I’ve tried working for others, and while I can follow direction, creating impact is in my nature. What drives me is knowing that our programmes leave a legacy — countless young people are better off because our paths crossed. That sense of purpose can’t be bought; it’s the real reward. No matter the challenges, waking up knowing you’ve made a meaningful difference in someone’s life is what sustains me.

Q: What do you look forward to most when you want to unwind?
For me, it’s travelling, whether locally or abroad. I love discovering new places, and as long as there’s a good shower, hot water, and a comfy bed, I’m happy. Luxury isn’t essential, though I occasionally indulge. Travel is especially meaningful with my daughter; we xplore together each year, from Singapore and Malaysia to Thailand. Her curiosity makes her the perfect travel buddy. Experiencing the world with her is more enjoyable than anything else, and it’s a special way to escape the everyday hustle.