Tools ready, set, go!

23 Nov 2016

Public TVET, private college students and industry apprentices and other employees will be competing for a spot to represent the Western Cape at the Provincial WorldSkills Competition, which kicks off tomorrow at WD Hearn Machine Tools in Epping, Cape Town.

Mduduzi Manana, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training launched WorldSkills South Africa in 2013, as part of the Ministry of Higher Education and Training’s drive to make Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges and artisanal trades more attractive.

The regional challenges will see 61 students under the age of 23 compete in 17 vocational skills areas. The winning candidates will proceed to form part of team Western Cape, who will go on to compete at the 2017 National WorldSkills Competition in Durban. The winners at the National Competition will represent South Africa at the International WorldSkills Competition in AbuDhabi later in October 2017.

Participants are nominated to compete in: Autobody Repair, Automotive Technology, Beauty Therapy, Bricklaying, Car Painting, CNC Turning, Cooking, Electrical Installations, Graphic Design, Hairdressing, IT Network Systems Administration, IT Software Solution for Business, Plumbing & Heating, Refrigeration & Air-conditioning, Restaurant Service, Web Design and Welding.

During the regional and national competitions, participants will be evaluated and judged on their technical ability to complete challenges within the prescribed time allocations and standards. Competitions will be attended amongst others by skills experts, judges, Department of Higher Training and Education officials including the principals from the participating colleges.

In a briefing session Tilly Reddy, the Western Cape Sub-committee Chairperson WorldSkills South Africa, said “The Decade of the Artisan supports the Departments of Higher Educations’ National Plan, and an integral part of the TVET College calendar. We are proud of all the finalists who are going to represent their college and province, but the hard work starts now.”

According to the main custodian, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the WorldSkills Competition provides numerous prospects for skills exchange, experience and technology innovation while raising awareness of the artisan sector and its career path possibilities for gainful employment.

The regional challenges are open to the public, and pupils are encouraged to attend the sessions for insight into the various artisanal trades.

For more information visit the Western Cape World Skills Facebook page: facebook.com/WorldSkillsZAwc