WeeklySA_AdminWORK-READINESS: It is possible to acquire skills to become self-reliant
By Thuli Zungu
South Africa has strengthened the curricula of universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges to meet the requirements of the national economy and the world of work.
According to Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Blade Nzimande, the Department of Higher Education and Training has embarked on a campaign to place graduates in work places to enhance their work-readiness for easy absorption into the world of work, as the lack of work experience is often a barrier to securing gainful employment for countless youngsters. “Entrepreneurship hubs are also being established at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges to help qualifying students to move into self-employment after they have completed their programmes,” said Nzimande.
He said both the Universities and TVET Colleges curricula were being strengthened to make these learning and teaching programmes relevant to the skills required by the national economy and that of the world of work. “At various intervals our universities align their study programmes to these national priorities, whilst our TVET colleges are gradually aligning their programme offerings to the needs of local employers and communities,” Nzimande said.
“In addition, there has been an extensive review of much of the TVET curricula to make them relevant and keep them current, and this will continue for the next several years. The focus at the moment is on digital and related skills to meet job demands driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).” Nzimande said the Department of Higher Education and Training has also initiated different programmes aimed at encouraging the youths to become artisans. “In 2014 we launched the Decade of the Artisan at Ekurhuleni East TVET college which is a campaign that seeks to promote artisanship as a career of choice for South Africa’s youth as well as highlight skills development opportunities for artisans,” he said. “The theme of this campaign was ‘It’s cool to be a 21st century artisan’.”
Nzimande said in 2017, the Department begun with the establishment of Centres of Specialisation in more than 20 colleges, and had focused on several designated trades, including air-conditioning and refrigeration, boiler making, diesel mechanic work, Electrical work (particularly for large construction projects), fitter and turner specialisation, motor mechanical work, and welding.
Nzimande said Centres of Specialisation in the TVET College sector is a programme which aims to inform college differentiation, promote quality teaching and learning, facilitate responsiveness and provide a model for the implementation of QCTO’s trade qualifications at the same time as it develops artisanal skills. In relation to artisan training, Minister Nzimande said that in 2018-2019 financial year, the number of registrations was at 29 982.
However, due to the economic slowdown and COVID-19, this number had dropped to 16 218 between 2019 and 2020, and that the number was expected to drop further over the next two years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “The pandemic has affected all the Skills Development providers, including those that are in the public and private sectors,” he said.
