PARTNERSHIPS

A SMALL DIFFERENCE IS STILL A DIFFERENCE

When looking at the current youth unemployment rate, there is a clear urgent need for a silver lining for today’s youth, says the Skills Development Corporation

The unemployment rate under the expanded defi nition, which includes those who have given up on the hunt for a job, is now 43.2 per cent. Youth unemployment under the expanded defi nition is a staggering 74.7 per cent, which means that only one in four school-leavers who are 24 or younger have a job in South Africa, reports StatSA’s latest quarterly labour survey.

This, coupled with South Africa’s current education failures, especially in computer literacy, is exacerbating the problem even further. At a rate of around 2 000 learners annually, albeit small, the Skills Development Corporation (SDC) is contributing to providing education and assistance for the improvement in the youth unemployment rate by about 0.0005 per cent nationally.

“In the past three years, we have upskilled over 5 000 learners through various skills development programmes,” says Daniel Gibhard, CEO of SDC. “Of these learners, we have managed to place 12 per cent in employment or into other tertiary education opportunities, which, considering the marketplace and socioeconomic environment, is a signifi cant achievement.

“We started offering some basic upskilling learnerships and qualifi cations, and now we’re certifying candidates at national qualifi cations framework (NQF) level. Above all, all our learnerships are governed by the necessary Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) – from offi ce administration through to retail, fi nance and IT,” says Gibhard.

“By expanding our offering across the different sectors, we’re able to connect with a variety of companies to help upskill and educate these youngsters in fi elds that best suit their interest.”

The Tjeka Training Matters facility in Fisantekraal.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION SKILLS

A purpose-built training facility in the Western Cape aims to bolster skills development and produce a new generation of construction workers

The global construction industry is

expected to grow by 5.2 per cent this year, according to data and analytics company GlobalData. If this is the case, then the industry will require expertise and skills to carry the workload and to keep the sector at its peak.

Gawie Burger, Southern Region manager at Tjeka Training Matters, believes that training the youth is crucial for creating a new wave of skilled individuals and subsequently alleviating the skills shortage in the industry. “This can be achieved by providing quality training and development through leadership, skills programmes, apprenticeships and short courses.”

It is for this reason that the company recently launched a new training facility in Fisantekraal.

“This purpose-built training centre was constructed by Garden Cities using alternative building technologies such as the benex block, which is lightweight, thermally effi cient and easy to use when building.

“The construction of the facility was successfully completed and has been occupied since February this year,” he explains.

“The centre specialises in all the construction trades, namely, carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying, painting and plastering, tiling as well as civil-related trades that include roadworks, pipelaying, gabion construction and the erection of guardrail,” says Burger.

Letitia van Rensburg, training offi cer at Master Builders’ Association for the Western Cape, adds that “the need for artisans and the improvement of the trade testing processes are one of the challenges the industry is facing in the region and the new training facility will assist in mitigating this.”

The centre offers both short courses and full qualifi cations. “We are also busy registering at the Institute for Working at Heights as a provider for all the scaffolding erector, inspector, supervisor and fall rescue planner programmes,” says Burger.

The MTN SA Foundation recently handed over the multimedia centre to the Vhembe TVET College.

The MTN SA Foundation has opened a 20-seater innovative multimedia centre at the Vhembe TVET College in Matwarela Sibasa.

The development, valued at R1.249-million, has 20 workstations adapted for deaf, blind and partially sighted students. The investment opens the door to quality learning and teaching for the most vulnerable of South Africans.

“The MTN SA Foundation, through our various initiatives, aims to bring the power of technology and a connected life to those most in need by contributing to the national quality of teaching and learning. We are proud to launch our latest centre at the TVET College in Limpopo to ensure students are future-fit,” says Kusile Mtunzi-Hairwadzi, general manager of the MTN SA Foundation.

“This is the second TVET college to receive a state-of-the-art multimedia centre to assist learners with their education. And our support does not stop here,” says Mtunzi-Hairwadzi.

The TVET college provides holistic courses that accommodate learners despite their physical and partially sighted limitations. The overarching programmes cater for the needs of skilled artisans, IT technicians, employees in the tourism and hospitality fields and training engineering-related studies identified by the Department of Higher Education and Training.

“We decided to jump in and offer further specialised support for these programmes. The multimedia centre has been modified to provide computer-aligned zoom text and jaws software programmes for the partially sighted students and specialised software programme installations for deaf students,” says Mtunzi-Hairwadzi.

“By focusing on education through a holistic and comprehensive ICT solution, we are committed to supporting government in uplifting the learning and teaching experiences in disadvantaged schools across the country”, she says.

MTN SA Foundation launches multimedia centre in Limpopo

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE MULTIMEDIA CENTRE?

MTN’s investment at Vhembe provides: • A fully refurbished lecture room • Twenty workstations each with keyboard and mouse • Interactive whiteboards with accessories (wand and pen) • Web camera HD high-end and stand • Instructor PC • One data projector • One multipurpose printer • Offline digitised educational content and interactive learning content • Antivirus protection • Office 365 • Air conditioner • Training on the equipment and digitalised content for a minimum of 10 staff members • 30GB data connectivity per month for 24 months

PARTNERSHIP EMPOWERS 104 LEARNERS

Through the Be Entrepreneurial

Programme initiated by JA South Africa (formerly Junior Achievement South Africa) and in partnership with Toyota South Africa, 104 learners from Masiqhakaze Secondary School in Thembisa are being introduced to experiential entrepreneurship, product development, advertising and business planning while simultaneously getting a head start on their economic and management science studies. On completion of the programme, learners will acquire practical skills by setting up a fully functioning business.

Learning the basics of entrepreneurship helps expose learners to an alternative career option. Bonga Khumalo, JA South Africa’s national programming co-ordinator, says: “Entrepreneurs solve problems and by empowering learners with the skills gained through our programmes, we are nurturing problem-solvers.”

FAST FACT

JA South Africa has reached over 500 000 students in South Africa since 1979.