Eastern Cape Business 2017 edition

Skills development
Skills training is a top priority for Eastern Cape manufacturers and colleges.
For the Eastern Cape economy to grow, a
skilled workforce is a necessity. Raising the
skill levels of enough South Africans to push
the economy forward has become a priority
at national, regional and local level.
A number of interventions have been launched
in the public and private sphere including:
• six of South Africa’s biggest construction companies
have established a R1.25-billion skills fund
• the national Department of Higher Education
and Training (DHET) declared the period starting
in 2014 as “The Decade of the Artisan” with the
ultimate goal of producing 30 000 per year (the
current figure is about 13 000)
• the National Skills Authority (NSA) is implementing
the National Skills Development Strategy
(NSDS). The Human Resource Development
Council of South Africa (HRDCSA) gives guidance
to the many institutions working on skills
development and training
• Technical and Vocational Education and Training
(TVET) colleges have been tasked with producing
skilled artisans in 13 trade areas, including
bricklayers, millwrights, boilermakers and
riggers. R16.5 billion has been allocated by national
government.
Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs)
form an important part of South Africa’s master plan
to tackle skills development – sourcing funds to support
placement of Technical Vocational Education
and Training (TVET) students to gain workplace
experience. Each SETA is responsible for a Sector
Skills Plan.
The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related
Services Authority (MerSETA) plays an important
role in the Eastern Cape, home to so many of South
Africa’s automotive and automotive parts companies.
The authority is involved in the National
Tooling Initiative and artisan training, especially with
regard to creating a skilled workforce for the Coega
Industrial Development Zone. MerSETA helped establish
the Centre of Excellence for Welding at the
Eastcape Midlands TVET College in Uitenhage.
A national programme of the Local Government
SETA (LGSETA) offers learnerships in auditing to municipal
employees. Among other SETAs active in the
province are the Services SETA and the CathsSETA
(Culture, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport).
EASTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2017
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