On The Ball CollegeOTBC

On The Ball College, known by the short name OTBC, is a private IT and computer training college that started in Cape Town in 2006. It is an accredited training provider with the Media, Information and Communication Technologies SETA (MICT SETA). The college also describes itself as a Microsoft learning competency centre, an Oracle Academy partner and a Certiport centre, which means some international IT certification exams can be written at its training centre.

The college has one physical training venue, on the first floor of the Eagle Park building in Milnerton, Cape Town, across the road from Sable Square. It also teaches remotely and online to students anywhere in South Africa through its own e-learning platform, Learn2Boom, which works as a virtual classroom. Qualification pages describe online learning with a facilitator and portfolio-based assessment. Whether exams are written online or in person depends on the qualification.

Learners can choose from SETA-aligned qualifications that run from NQF Level 2 up to NQF Level 6, shorter skills programmes, and short courses. Subject areas include office and end-user computing, contact centre work, PC and technical support, networking and systems administration, systems development and programming, cybersecurity, business analysis and new venture creation. Several programmes are combined with international certifications such as CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+, or Microsoft and Oracle exams. It also runs learnerships and staff training for companies, and ICT training for teachers.

There is no fixed application window published on the site. A prospective student starts by sending an enquiry, or books a meeting to get advice on which programme suits them. Each NQF level usually takes ten to twelve months, while short courses last from a single day to a few months. Matric is not required for every programme, and some NQF Level 4 qualifications lead to a certificate at the same NQF level as matric. Entry requirements differ by programme; for example, the Technical Support qualification asks for Grade 10 to 12 and basic computer literacy.

Fees are published per programme rather than in a single fee list. Students can pay in full upfront or take a monthly payment plan after registration. The college also refers students to a third-party student loan provider, and keeps a database of students to contact when bursaries become available. Certificates of competence are handed out once the MICT SETA has issued them.