Context
South Africa’s emerging economy status does not sufficiently reflect the structural, economic and social challenges faced by the nation, which recorded economic growth of just 1.4 per cent in 2014. High wage costs, inflexible employment legislation, increasingly arbitrary state interference, a failed education policy and a resulting shortage of skilled workers are stopping enterprises from investing in the country.
Official statistics put structural unemployment at 25 per cent, while unofficial figures are closer to 40 per cent. Unemployment among the under-25s stands at 52 per cent, with young black people, women and those who have little education or no technical or vocational training particularly hard hit.
This high level of youth unemployment is caused by poor economic growth and a school education system that is not geared to the world of work. Despite many people being out of work, companies are unable to fill vacancies due to a lack of suitably qualified applicants. Educational levels at public technical and vocational education and training (TVET) Colleges are also low, with teaching staff poorly trained. There are no demand, workplace-based and work process oriented TVET programmes in which enterprises play a major role in training skilled workers. Enterprises are primarily focused on providing in-house training to their own staff and do not work with the public TVET colleges.
Objective
In Gauteng and the Eastern Cape Province a pilot measure has been established for a dual skills development programme for training qualified skilled labour. The measure is both practice-oriented and geared towards the needs of business and industry, and is one in which enterprises play a major role.
Approach
Commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ is working closely with the South African Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), four TVET colleges, business and professional associations, and individual enterprises. The programme is supporting the South African Government’s strategy to introduce a demand and practice oriented training for skilled workers that strengthens existing TVET colleges and incorporates periods of workplace based and work process oriented training.
To this end, the initiative is focusing its activities on the following five areas:
1.Establishing mechanisms and processes to govern a dual skills development programme;
2.Strengthening management capacities at TVET colleges and in enterprises;
3.Improving the quality of training at TVET colleges;
4.Establishing assessment procedures with the involvement of enterprises;
5.Improving the service delivery capacities of TVET colleges.
Results
New occupational qualifications for electricians and plumbers have been officially recognised and registered. The professional association for plumbers and the business association Swiss-South African Cooperation Initiative have been registered with the National Skills Fund. As the main employers, they will assume a coordinating role for up to 200 apprentices of the dual skills development programme on behalf of the enterprises involved.
Preparations have been completed to enable training to commence for up to 175 apprentices: A total of up to 125 individuals in four locations will be able to start their electrician apprenticeships in January 2016, and a further 50 apprentices will be able to begin their training as plumbers in January and June 2016.