Skilled and qualified youth can greatly benefit SA business and the economy!

TVETs occupationally focussed interventions and training can greatly benefit the economy

Occupation-focused interventions focus on training the specific skills required for the successful performance of an individual's chosen occupation. To fully address our economic issues and to ensure that we can build better businesses through a correctly trained workforce, artisan trades, and vocational skills development are crucial. Artisan trades and non-trade occupations play a pivotal role in economic expansion due to the economy's reliance on a solid infrastructure of tradespeople in construction, manufacturing, equipment repairs, and other essential services.

All South Africans, in all walks of life, can support entrepreneurship and small company growth by funding and collaborating with technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges and assisting them in promoting occupational trade credentials. This is a holistic, multi-purpose approach that closes the skills gap, creates jobs and sustainable livelihoods supports economic growth, and promotes entrepreneurship. It is this approach that can unlock unskilled workers' potential by elevating them to a place of being skilled and certified and in doing so revive the economy for a more sustainable future.

It stands to reason, therefore, that business owners too should utilise the recognition of prior learning (RPL)/Trade Test Centre approach and collaborate with TVET colleges to upskill their workers using skills development levies (SDL).

Enter False Bay TVET College

Rounell Slabber, accreditation and research officer at False Bay College

One such college doing great work with this and establishing vital partnerships with businesses is False Bay TVET College. We caught up with accreditation and research officer, Rounell Slabber to obtain her opinion on some of the key aspects around why business owners should partner with them and support the programme and what benefits businesses and the country can achieve from this.

Why TVET colleges and occupational certificates (trade and non-trade) are the future

‘’Skills development is vital for economic growth and employment creation, as recognised by the national development plan. TVET colleges with occupational trade credentials can create a trained workforce and address the skills gap in artisanal and non-artisanal crafts like automotive motor mechanics, spray painting and panel beating, electrical work, early childhood development, computer technicians, etc.’’ enthuses Slabber.

She further highlights the following points on why TVETs and the programmes they offer are so valuable:

1. Skills development: TVET colleges focus on providing practical skills and hands-on training in a variety of fields, including trades and non-trade occupations. This type of education is highly practical and directly prepares students for the workforce, addressing the skills gap that exists in South Africa.
   
2. Employability: Graduates from TVET colleges are often highly sought after by employers due to their practical skills and industry-relevant training. This increases their employability and chances of securing gainful employment.
   
3. Diversification of career paths: By offering a wide range of courses and occupational certificates, TVET colleges provide students with a diverse set of career paths to choose from. This helps in catering to the different interests and aspirations of individuals, leading to a more skilled and diverse workforce
   
4. Contribution to the economy: TVET graduates play such an important role in driving economic growth and development in South Africa. By equipping individuals with the necessary (practical) skills to enter the workforce, TVET colleges contribute to the country's economy by increasing productivity and innovation by focusing on 'hit the ground running' skills.
   
5. Promotion of entrepreneurship: TVET colleges also play a crucial role in fostering entrepreneurship by providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to start their businesses. This coupled with the relevant occupational-focused training not only promotes self-employment but also contributes to job creation and economic empowerment.
   

Overall, TVET colleges and occupational certificates and skills programmes are seen as the future in South Africa because they address the country's pressing skills development needs, contribute to economic growth, and provide individuals with practical and relevant education that prepares them for the demands of the modern workforce.

Why should business partners come in?

Industry-education partnerships are collaborative efforts that bring higher education institutions, businesses and community together to address their mutual interest in higher education. While helping to advance the educational development in TVET institutions, the partnerships also address skills scarcity needs. In turn, TVETs provide industry and businesses with an opportunity to absorb TVET graduates with a broader practical skill range than most university graduates (thus someone who can integrate into the workplace much faster due to their practical exposure). Industry can contribute to educational programmes and decision-making by indicating industry developments and needs and TVETs incorporating it into curriculums and short skills programmes.
Where meaningful partnerships exist between business and TVETs, the gaps between the supply of graduates and the demand for skills are significantly reduced, and the needs of businesses are more closely met and aligned with the programmes on offer.

How do businesses benefit?

There are numerous ways that businesses benefit from this collaboration too, and Slabber lists just a few of them…

• Many businesses struggle to find artisans or qualified people who are trained and skilled in their own industry. TVET colleges offer practical training and industry-specific information to close these skills gaps.
  
• TVET college collaborations boost productivity in the workplace, the retention of good talent and ensure compliance with South African legislation.
  
• Employers also benefit from a happier workforce who, with enhanced skills and knowledge, are far more inclined to experience work satisfaction and job security.
  
• Compliance with the Employment Equity Act and B-BBEE Act may lead to tax-related and other incentives.
  
• The business also benefits from being able to truthfully boast to clients (and in their marketing) that they have a certified and skilled workforce.
  
• Skills levy/tax rebates available to companies who train apprentices.

Positive changes for our society as a whole

Apart from looking at the bottom line, it is also the responsibility of all businesses that have benefited from trade within South Africa to give something back to the country and its people. There are several benefits to supporting this initiative that will do exactly that.

This holistic learning approach closes the skills gaps in the country, creates jobs, supports economic growth, and most importantly promotes entrepreneurship, unlocking workers' potential and reviving the economy of the whole country for a more sustainable future.

TVET colleges are essential for promoting entrepreneurship and small company growth. Many of these more skilled people with entrepreneurial skills will themselves create businesses and they in turn will support the initiatives that enabled them to do so. The effect is a knock-on one that can hopefully alleviate the unemployment issues in the long term, probably our country’s largest contributor to crime and poverty.

This knock-on effect will also benefit the economy, encouraging creativity, rivalry, and economic diversity.

False Bay welcomes your collaboration and partnership

False Bay TVET College has long been committed to addressing the skills gap in South Africa and encouraging employers to invest in skill development, utilise RPL/Trade Test Centre strategies and partner with TVET Colleges.

Further to this and looking at the broader picture, the college is an educational institution that offers practical vocational training programmes and technical skills development to equip students with the knowledge and skills required for specific trades or professions. We focus on providing hands-on training and practical skills in various fields such as engineering, construction, accounting, business, hospitality, information technology, and more.

Our primary objectives are to provide access and effective services to students through a variety of delivery modes and to develop partnerships and maintain good stakeholder relations to increase the number of students who are adequately prepared to enter the labour market, further and higher learning opportunities and pursue entrepreneurship development.

We have convinced you that skilled, certified artisans can greatly benefit South African business and the economy. Contact us today to learn more about us so that together we can begin to build a better future for your business – and all South Africans!

False Bay TVET College: Linkages and Partnerships Department | Rounell Slabber (accreditation and research officer) | 021 787 0800 | az.gro.yabeslaf@rebbals.llenuor.

Thought profile – Rounell Slabber

In her role as the accreditation and research officer of FBC, Rounell Slabber ensures that the college stays relevant with up-to-date industry orientate accreditation for occupational programmes with the relevant accrediting bodies such as the QCTO which feeds into the strategic plan of the college and the promotion of relevant industry-focused qualifications to gear students for a focused transition into the workplace and employment opportunities.

Slabber comes with over 10 years of private and public sphere experience in training, accreditation, skills development and quality assurance and offers a body of knowledge to help steer the institution to offer relevant qualifications and skills programmes for the needs of industry and promoting further economic development opportunities.

Slabber has an honours degree in Social Development Studies majoring in Education & Development and Development Economics. She believes in the power of critical thinking and the need for creative approaches to solve youth unemployment through well-researched and creative initiatives that can ultimately lead to the creation of relevant and new avenues of employment and skills development for the youth in our country.