In this deeply personal and inspiring podcast, Anton shares his life story, from his days as a sport-focused schoolboy and adrenaline junkie, to overcoming life-changing challenges, and ultimately finding his purpose in education and accessibility.

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Early lessons: Sport and the army

Anton laughs as he recalls his school days: “My entire school journey was all about sport and “sports”, not academics. My highlight was athletics, where I earned my SA colours.”

After school, unsure of his next step, Anton completed compulsory military service. It was there that he learned lessons which continue to shape his leadership: “Planning, commitment, and discipline. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

From a training company to Training Portal

With an interest in training sparked by his army experience, Anton leapt into entrepreneurship by starting his own training company. “I thought it would be easy, but it wasn’t. There are always good times and bad times, and you must believe in yourself.” He gained valuable experience while presenting courses like People skills and Microsoft training before moving on to what would become a defining chapter of his life, Training Portal.

Joining as one of the very first facilitators, Anton worked with just 20 external learners. As demand grew, so did Training Portal, opening the first campus in Bloemfontein, then expanding to Vereeniging, Stellenbosch, Welkom, Kathu, and several community campuses. “It was very exciting and something new,” Anton recalls of those early years. Now, as Head of the Academic Department, he plays a key role in shaping Training Portal’s vision: “I want to see Training Portal as the best training provider in the country.”

Adrenaline and a life-changing accident

Outside of work, Anton pursued thrills that got his heart racing: scuba diving, skydiving, endurance racing, and more. But in a tragic turn, his life changed forever after a car accident in which he broke his neck.

He remembers nothing of the crash, but vividly recalls waking up in hospital, unable to move. Doctors told his family he would not recover. Yet, against all odds, he regained function in his hands. “Since that day, I made a promise: I will never go back to ‘I don’t want to live.’ I promised to fight.”

Servant leadership and accessibility

Today, Anton channels that determination into his leadership at Training Portal and his advocacy for global accessibility awareness. His journey is a testament to resilience, service, and the power of education to change lives.

Watch the full podcast with Anton Welman to hear more about his remarkable journey, his lessons on leadership, and his passion for making education accessible to all.

Life after Disability: How Anton Welman rebuilt his life and career | Global Accessibility Awareness

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