merSETA Achieve Dec 2012

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Quality in teaching and learning under scrutiny

JUNE2012ISSUE16

TALKING NOTES | A VIEW FROM THE TOP | EVENTS OF THE QUARTER

SET, developing future engineers and artisans

ISO 9001:2008

AchieveLEADERSINCLOSINGTHESKILLSGAP

DEC 2012 ISSUE 18

TALKING NOTES | A VIEW FROM THE TOP | 2012 merSETA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ISO 9001:2008

AchieveLEADERSINCLOSINGTHESKILLSGAP

ISSUE 18

merSETAandGIZinvestingreen skills development

LEADERSINCLOSINGTHESKILLSGAP

AUTOSECTOR

FACES CHALLENGESHEAD ON

ISSUE 18

2 AchieveDecember2012

VisionLeaders in closing the skills gap.

MissionTo increase access to high quality and

relevant skills development and training

opportunities to support economic

growth in order to reduce inequalities and

unemployment and to promote employability

and participation in the economy.

ISO 9001:2008

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ContentsSETA NEWS

4 Talking notes

5 A view from the top

ArTISAN DESk

6 College/Industry Partnerships to support artisan training

FEATUrES

8 Auto sector faces challenges head on

10 kgabo cars training

12 Japanese teams win solar challenge

13 ECSA mobilise support for engineering graduates

16 Buscor tackle skills shortage

18 The merSETA bids Mkhwanazi farewell

20 Mercedes-Benz South Africa invests r180-million

21 Industry in college

SUCCESS STOrY

24 raring to set engineering world alight

EVENTS

27 SET honour cream of the crop

29 2012 merSETA Annual General Meeting

31 merSETA and GIZ invest in green skills development

34 merSETA and SAGDA join forces

PublishermerSETAEditorSibongiseni Ziinjiva ka-MnguniDesign & PrintingTenaka’s Tribe ( www.tenaka.co.za )

ContributorsDr raymond Patel Helen BrownCreamer Media

ACHIEVEDECEMbER2012ISSUE18

Views and editorial opinion expressed in the merSETA newsletter are not necessarily those of merSETA, the publication or the publisher.

ON tHE COvErDr raymond Patel and Professor Ihron rensburg

PG. 16Buscor tackles skills shortage

Write to: The Editor, Achieve Newsletter, P.O. Box 61826, Marshalltown, 2107or email: [email protected]

PG. 8Auto sector faces challenges head on

PG. 30merSETA and SAGDA join forces

4 AchieveDecember20124 AchieveDecember2012

talking Notes

FromtheEditor

InthepreviouseditionofAchieve,IalludedtothefactthattheAchievenewsletterismovingtowardsmakingitamultimediaplatformthatseekstoprojectnewthinkingandanalysisinthepost-schooleducationandtrainingarena.

We are living in an ever changing world and to stay innovative and in tune with your needs we were required to re-examine our channel of communication and bring added value to our readers.

Having completed our needs analysis, we have concluded that multimedia is the way to go, we will be using different media formats to keep you abreast of what is happening at the merSETA, specifically on issues relating to skills development and training.

It is going to be interactive and topical and, as a thought leader, we are excited about the developments and I hope you will enjoy the benefits.

Coming back to the articles we have packaged in this edition - Helen Brown brings us up to speed on the current status of apprentice training in South Africa. She looks into an essential ingredient for the development of highly competent artisans: College-Industry Partnerships.

She touches base on the implementation of dual system apprenticeships, where colleges agree to adjust the NCV curriculum time-table so that apprentices spend two days in the college and three days in the workplace with structured support for curriculum integration.

The South African Automotive Week closed on a high note with stakeholders in the sector agreeing there are challenges in the sector. However, it was agreed that it is the job of industry and government to show leadership and direct the country through challenging situations. It was also highlighted that the plans for the implementation of Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) are on track.

The solar challenge proved to be tough, but an eye opener

for South African Universities which took part. We’ve got a full report on the challenge.

ECSA, the merSETA and the DHET hosted a skills summit recently which examined the demand and the supply of engineers, and how best the situation can be improved.

merSETA as a thought leader and a catalyst in skills development recently signed an agreement with the Gesellschaft FÜr Internationanale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to mobilise resources by investing in green skills. We also signed an agreement with the SA Graduates Development Association (SAGDA) which seeks to reduce unemployment among engineering graduates. Turn inside to read more on these stories

Should you have graduation ceremonies, the launch of projects or other interesting skills development stories and pictures, kindly send them to: [email protected].

Disclaimer: Please note, the editor reserves the right to withhold articles due to space limitations or for any other reason

Be Blessed!

SibongiseniZiinjiva ka-MnguniEditor

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Aviewfrom the top

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Dr raymond PatelCEOmerSETA

CEO’sColumn

TheautomotivesectorinSouthAfricahasshownincredibleresilienceinthefaceofthedramaticdownturnintheworldeconomy.

In the last two months, the merSETA has hosted nationwide stakeholder meetings to amplify its role in the manufacturing and engineering sector. Scores of stakeholders attended these events and we were strongly encouraged by the performance of the automotive sector, in particular.

Yes, our country has been battered by lower foreign direct investment inflows, and ratings agencies have not been kind to us. Yet, the country is still determined to drive economic growth, particularly through the r1-trillion infrastructure development programme.

Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan said in his Medium Term Budget Policy Statement that 18 strategic projects had been reviewed. They will accelerate transport, water, energy, housing investment, open mining and industrial opportunities and build linkages throughout the South African economy.

While these events have garnered enormous publicity in the last few weeks, our auto industry is steadily bucking the economic downturn. repeatedly, they have informed the nation of their increased outputs.

Company after company has announced success due to soaring exports. A major OEM announced that it had employed a further 750 workers for the introduction of a third shift at its plant near Pretoria, while two other companies also announced similar employment trends in the Eastern Cape – all due to rising exports.

And in line with this, their training initiatives have increased to coincide with the demand for higher skills.

When the various SETAs tabled their annual reports on performance to Parliament, it was noted that the combined efforts of these training authorities saw about 20 000

students from FET colleges and universities of technology in workplace learning environments.

The merSETA alone gave opportunities for workplace experience to more than 10 000 learners and aspirant artisans, including our Accelerated Artisans Development Programme which saw 2012 artisans qualify since the project’s inception four years ago.

The scene has been set, the milestones posted and the beacons of light are clear that the automotive industry is a stalwart of engineering excellence in our country.

Training for future economic upturns is not just the core mandate of the merSETA, but is also a strategic issue for all South African organisations, especially the auto industry.


One of these recommendations proposes a closer collaboration between FET Colleges and employers. We decided to use the annual AATP Symposium platform, attended by employers and both private and public training providers,

to ask the following questions:

1. How would you define a partnership and what would your expectations be?

2. What could your local FET College do to ensure the development of artisans?

3. What can individual companies do to ensure that FET Colleges are able to produce top quality artisans?

4. What measures can SETAs put in place to nurture the relationship between FET Colleges and industry?

5. How can the effectiveness of College/Industry partnerships be measured in the South African context?

The feedback has assisted the merSETA to shape a supportive role in the formation of these new partnerships.Companies felt they should offer to train and mentor technical lecturers, especially around quality and efficiency expectations from a productivity point of view. They suggested that the curriculum could be adjusted,

where necessary, to accommodate real workplace industrial processes.

Companies also felt that career days would be useful to allow students to gain a better understanding of the different work opportunities within an occupation at unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled levels and the resulting career options. If supported, companies also suggested that they could make a commitment to dedicate some of their staff towards this process.

FET Colleges, on the other hand, wanted to be more involved in understanding the skills demands from the companies in their area, particularly through SETA initiated sector skills planning exercises.

The FET Colleges suggested that such a partnership should be more structured to include milestones, measurable outcomes and the benchmarking of best practise.

A fair value exchange was emphasised in such partnerships, where success is measured through learners being placed in industry, a reduction in costs and duplication of learning on the journey to the trade test, and growing levels of competence among qualifying apprentices.

The outcome of this dialogue is that merSETA is seen as an essential catalyst in the formation of such partnerships.

ArtisanDesk

ThelasteditionofAchieveMagazinefocussedonthestateofartisandevelopmentinSouthAfrica,withtheresultsofmerSETA’srecentCOMETstudyunderpinningthegapsbetweenteachingandlearningtowards“holisticshapingcompetence”.Therecommendationsfromthisstudysuggestthatsomeadjustmentsinthearchitectureofapprenticeshipsshouldbeimplementedtoallowthesystemtoadequatelyrespondtothischallenge.

COLLEGE/INDUSTRyPARTNERSHIPStO SuppOrt ArtiSAN trAiNiNG

Programme Manager Artisan, Innovation and Development Helen Brown

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The merSETA is in a position to analyse the demand for certain categories of skills from its discretionary grant funding applications and match this information to FET College offerings.

The measurement of the effectiveness of the partnership also needs to be considered independently from the parties engaged in the partnership.

In efforts to initiate closer collaboration between colleges and industry, the merSETA has started a pilot

project under the direction of a Department of Higher Education and Training lead steering committee for the implementation of dual system apprenticeships, where colleges agree to adjust the NCV curriculum timetable so that apprentices spend two days in the college and three days in the workplace with structured support for curriculum integration.

The merSETA will continue to explore the value of these College/Industry partnerships in the interest of quality training support to employers.

“The FET Colleges suggested that such a partnership should be more structured to include milestones, measurable outcomes and the benchmarking of best practise.”


Features

AUTO SECTOr FACES CHALLENGES HEAD ON The 2nd South African Automotive Week (SAAW) conference took place inPortElizabethrecently,representingoneofAfrica’smajorautomotiveintellectualgatherings,writes Achieve Correspondent.

Opening the conference, Trade and Industry Minister Dr rob Davies said everything was “on track” for the transition from the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) to the Automotive Production and

Development Programme (APDP).

He noted that government’s new support programme for the automotive industry, due for implementation in January 2013, would be “more secure” in terms of international trade rules.

Davies said government was moving from a programme of supporting exports to one in which the support was based on larger volume production. He noted, however, that the MIDP had done well in transforming a “very uncompetitive” automotive industry dependent on high tariff protection.

He said the MIDP, implemented in 1995, had seen production volumes increase. The aim of the new programme is to stimulate yearly vehicle production from roughly 600 000 units currently, to 1.2-million units by 2020.

Davies also noted that government would next year enter into an “early review” of the APDP, mainly to ensure there were not “hidden snags” in implementing the programme.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) automotive chief director Mkhululi Mlota said South Africa produced less than 1% of the world’s vehicle output. The DTI had to

ensure it “did something” not only to sustain the industry, but also to grow it.

However, it was important not to “over-subsidise” the industry.

“We need to encourage them to improve efficiencies, but at the same time provide support,” he said.

It was important not to “overreact” to “short-term turbulence” in South Africa’s macro-economic environment with unnecessary “doom and gloom”, said National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) president and Volkswagen Group South Africa MD Dave Powels.

Powels said Naamsa’s forecast was for a 6% to 8% growth in new vehicle sales in 2013 compared to 2012.

Powels said it was important to remember that South Africa was a “developing economy and a young democracy”.

He said Naamsa understood and accepted that mistakes would be made, and had been made, when looking at the recent labour unrest that had plagued the mining industry. However, he noted that it was the job of industry and government to show leadership and direct the country through difficult situations.

“We need to be realistic about the challenges the country faces, but we must plot a course through them,” said Powels.

regarding the three-year wage agreement local vehicle manufacturers had secured with the National Union


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of Metalworkers in 2010, Powels said he expected a “heightened situation” with “heightened risks” next year as the agreement ended in June 2013.

However, he said the second quarter of next year also provided industry and the unions with the opportunity to act in a “sensible, mature and logical manner” and to not “lose control of the situation”.

The incentive structure of the new Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) did not do enough to motivate vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) to increase the percentage of locally produced components, said National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (Naacam) executive director roger Pitot.

He said the APDP retained the duty-offset system of the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) it would replace in 2013, whereby OEMs cash in their benefits by

importing vehicles and components at lower duty rates, thereby providing little or no protection to component makers in South Africa as there was “effectively no import duty paid on components”.

“The APDP is still a duty rebate system. So, the more OEMs export and add value, the more they can also import,” said Mr Pitot.

He added that OEMs had, from 2009 to 2011, imported r108-billion worth of components and sub-components, while duties paid on these were r446-million, or 0.41%, compared with the r21-billion, or 20%, which would have applied without the MIDP duty rebate.

He said real local content on locally produced vehicles was around 35% compared with the 55% to 60% often quoted, as the imported content of locally made parts had to be subtracted first.

From left: NAAMSA President and Volkswagen Group South Africa MD David Powels; DTI automotive chief director Mkhululi Mlota; Scenario-planner Clem Santa; delegates at the SAAW in PE


Features

QUALITyTRAININGiN tHE wOrkpLACESouth Africa’s economic success depends largely on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). research shows SME’s not only represent an important vehicle to address the challenge of job creation, but are also the engine of sustainable and equitable growth, writes Sibongiseni Ziinjiva Ka-Mnguni.

It is against this background that Soshanguve-based kgabo Cars was established. Isaac Boshomane, the founder and executive, is a man with a passion for technical training and personal development. He is a qualified technician, former motor mechanics teacher, trainer and instructor.

Having gone through the challenges most young people face, he wanted to create a vehicle for young people to turn their challenges into opportunities. “I didn’t want to see people go through what I had gone through, hence I created this platform. Challenges shape our future,” says Boshomane.

He started informally training mechanics in 2001, while he was still lecturing at Pretoria West College of Engineering (Tshwane South College for FET). He used his spare time to teach youngsters how a car operates and how to maintain and service it among other things, not knowing the baby steps would lead him to bigger things.

“All the 12 learners have since qualified at INDLELA, and some are working for other companies. Three of them are employed by kgabo Cars,” he says.

Boshomane noted when Dr Blade Nzimande, the Minister for Higher Education and Training, urged employers to turn workplaces into training space. He was inspired to formalise his business. “I was always looking forward to hearing somebody from the high echelons of power take technical training seriously and I was pleased to hear that coming from the minister. And I said it’s about time that I also start taking it seriously and formalise it.”

He approached the merSETA in 2010 with the view to having workplace approval and when all the processes were completed, his co-owners started training learners.

“The merSETA gave us 12 learners to kickstart the pilot project on NQF Level 2 in automotive repair and maintenance. They were all found to be competent in record time and are currently doing Level 3. The thinking is to take them up to Level 4, and then take them for a trade test. The ultimate goal is to see them qualify,” adds Boshomane.

kgabo Cars trains learners and apprentices to service, repair, and maintain vehicles, overhaul clutches, gearboxes and repair diffs.

Boshomane is convinced that kgabo Cars offers world-class training for its learners. “We compare our results with learners on the same level as those trained by world class institutions and companies.

“Some of them come here and are surprised that these learners know how to strip a gearbox and overhaul engines, because they themselves are not exposed to this kind of training in their training spaces.

“The challenge with big companies, because of their size, is that they do not have time to do these small things. They do not repair gearboxes but instead send them to a gearbox centre, whereas here we do it ourselves, we don’t have that luxury.

“We don’t only teach learners about the technical side of things, but we also take them to courses where they learn about quality parts and business management skills. The training is not only about developing technical skills, but also about holistic human development.”

Operating in the township can pose challenges and kgabo Cars is not immune to these. Boshomane alludes to the challenge that customers have the mindset that

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they do not need to pay much. Business means profit, sustainability & growth.“Some customers expect to pay less, because we operate from the township, but if you check the facility we have, none can be compared with it in the township and we deliver quality service just like in Town. The only difference is that one is in town and the other in the township. But customers are starting to warm up to the idea of us running a professional set up, and are starting to note the level of quality of our work.”

kgabo Cars also took a strategic decision when they convinced Filpro and AutoZone Xpress to open shop next to them. The move has increased their customer base and reduced the turnaround time for servicing and fixing cars. “We wanted to concentrate on our core business, that is to fix cars, and negotiated with AutoZone Xpress to come on board and operate next to us thus minimising the time of having to go to town for spares.

“’Now we have more customers, because they know that when we need spares, we can easily get them from AutoZone Xpress,” says Boshomane.

Isaac Boshomane would like to thank the organisations that have assisted with the development of kgabo Cars and emphasises the role that big companies can play in the training and development of learners.

“Big organisations can assist SMEs with the institutional training of learners and apprentices as well as with the donation of tools and equipment.

“McCarthy Artisan Automotive Academy did a wonderful job by supporting kgabo Cars since the inception of the learnership and they paid for my business management training. For all that we say a BIG thank you.

“The Automobile Association (AA) has also just come on board for the apprentices and we are very grateful for their contribution.”

Metair put tar in kgabo Car’s whole yard, thanks to Theo and Lucas.

“More SMEs can benefit from such relationships with big organisations as this will allow FET learners to apply their theory so that they can qualify. Governmental organisations like NSF, GEP, AIDC, and TETA for playing a crucial role in supporting SMMEs & SMEs.”

“Panyaza, thanks for assisting to extend our workshop. Legadima, thanks for assisting with tools and equipment.

The merSETA for believing in kgabo Cars.

And finally, thanks to kgabo Cars members and trainers for keeping the fire burning and raising the flame high in my absence. Collectively we can make a big difference when it comes to skills development.”

Kgabo Cars staff


Features

The three-time solar race champion Tokai University recorded a cumulative time of 71 hours and 13 minutes, and Shinozuka 89 hours and 55 minutes, travelling a total of 4 632 km in the 11-day Sasol Solar Challenge.

South Africa’s University of kwaZulu-Natal, competing in the Challenge class for older solar vehicles along with its Japanese counterparts, took third place after travelling 1 930 km, in a time of 99:50.

The solar race also hosted two other categories, namely the Olympia class, which was the main competitive class for solar-electric vehicles, and the Technology class, which was a platform for the demonstration of alternative power technologies for vehicles.

The North West University, which covered 1 087 km in a time of 90:44 hours, took first place in the Olympia category, followed by the University of Johannesburg,

which travelled 847 km in 105.06 hours, and the Tshwane University of Technology, which travelled 409 km, clocking a time of 99:55.

In the Technology class, the University of Johannesburg recorded a time of 79:01 for 934 km for its gas turbine hybrid vehicle, securing first place, and a time of 101:59 hours for 578 km for its H2 Hybrid vehicle, taking third place. Team EV Drive came second in this class with a time of 79:01 hours over 578 km.

“The final results are a clear indication that with more exposure to such competitions and events, South African teams will prove to be very competitive in the years to come,” said race director Winstone Jordaan.

As many of the teams that took part were undergraduate students, the solar challenge was a learning experience and the skills learnt could be taken back to their various institutions across South Africa and the world, he noted.

Japan-based Tokai University has won the 2012 Sasol Solar Challenge, followed closely by former Tokai driver kenjiro Shinozuka, with his own team in second place.

JApANESE tEAMSTAKETOPSPOTSINRACEFORTHESUNbyIndependentCorrespondent

NMMU team

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“It is imperative that we put into place a process to determine the supply and demand for engineers in specific disciplines in light of the presidential announcement of the r845 billion infrastructure projects aimed at driving economic growth and

development,” said Dr Oswald Franks, CEO of ECSA.

The focus at the summit included the supply of engineers, technologists and technicians; the school system and student selection; curriculum aspects and interventions; student support, staffing, funding, teaching and learning; work integrated learning; and the articulation pathway from FET Colleges to higher education institutions, particularly universities of technology.

Highlighting challenges in promoting effective articulation from colleges to university, merSETA CEO Dr raymond Patel noted that vocational studies were not attractive enough. Youngsters preferred “any” university programme over colleges.

Young college entrants, he noted, were not sensitised to the opportunities of furthering their studies after NCV4 at a university, while articulation opportunities were not sufficiently visible to college-based learners.

“We focus on a knowledge economy as opposed to an industrial economy. Increasing engineering graduate output may be more effective through an integrated curriculum design from NCV2 at the college level to a joint curriculum offering through NCV4,” Dr Patel said.

ECSA MObiLiSES SuppOrtFORENGINEERINGGRADUATESbySibongiseniZiinjivaKa-Mnguni

TheEngineeringCouncil ofSouthAfrica (ECSA) togetherwith theDepartmentofHigherEducationandTrainingandthemerSETArecentlyconvenedanationalskillssummittoincreasethenumberofengineeringgraduates.ThesummitwasheldinKemptonParkinGauteng.

ECSA CEO Dr Oswald Franks


Features

Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Blade Nzimande said there was an urgent need to improve the throughput rate in certain engineering qualifications. There was also a clear need for proper support mechanisms and clear systemic changes to increase the numbers and types of engineers, engineering technologists, technicians and technical assistants.

“Studies have indicated that South Africa lags far behind in the number of engineers per population in comparison to countries such as the United kingdom, Australia and Chile, even though we may be better off in comparison with our African counterparts. A study indicated that we have 1 engineer per 3 100 people in the population.

“This is a particularly difficult task if one keeps in mind that a country such as South Africa, which is characterised by poor schooling conditions where the current participation rate of people between the ages of 20 and 24 in post-school education is only 19%. This is exacerbated by poor retention, early dropouts, poor success rates and lower than average graduation rates”,” said Dr Nzimande.

To address challenges facing the training of engineering sciences, ECSA conducted a research study in which it identified seven levers of change aimed at increasing the throughput rate within the engineering profession.

Acknowledging insurmountable challenges faced by entrance in the engineering and science field, Dr Nzimande pointed out that there are a number of additional hurdles that needs to be overcome before engineering science graduates reached the target of 15 000 per annum.

He lauded the ECSA’s role in developing and increasing engineering professionals in South Africa. He praised ECSA as one of South Africa’s more proactive professional bodies that had taken a clear lead in developing its mandated industry and the human resources therein.

“The way forward is still long and I cannot over emphasise the pertinent roles of SETAs and industry in providing the necessary support to engineering institutions and graduates through partnerships, work placement, learnerships, retention and further development of engineering specialists in South Africa.

“To this extent, the role of our Further Education and Training (FET) colleges should also not be underestimated. The projected Human resources budget for the eight engineering faculties at South African universities as indicated in the Capstone proposal, including salaries and operational expenses from 2012 to 2020 is projected to approach r2.6 billion, of which it projects growth in engineering science bursaries to approach r900 million by 2020.”

Dr Nzimande indicated that the government alone could not foot the bill. He said the DHET is heeding the call to reconsider the funding model of engineering faculties and recognise that these faculties are currently under-funded and largely supported by cross-subsidisation by other faculties. It is one of the aspects that the committee responsible for the review of the funding framework is considering.

The summit also agreed that further measures of improving efficiency needed to be in place. There needs to be integrated and timeous student support, and a flexible curriculum which includes adequate methods of improving student success.

There also needs to be an emphasis on improved methods of teaching and learning, addressing staffing inadequacies, addressing the issue of funding and consider progression and articulation routes.

Dr Alyson Lawless

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“Studies have indicated that South Africa lags far behind in the number of engineers per population in comparison to countries such as the United kingdom, Australia and Chile, even though we may be better off in comparison with our African counterparts.”

Dr Angela Van Staden; delegates at the skills summit


Learners graduated in the Manufacturing, Engineering and related Services Seta (merSETA) qualification, funded by the Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA), while Buscor provided expertise and training space in training of the learners.

According to Buscor Training Manager, Louis Du Preez, learners were recruited on a 50-50 gender basis to address equity. They had to have N2 to be enrolled on the programme. They also had to undergo numeracy and language tests as per the minimum requirement of the qualification.

The graduates were in high spirits after displaying a gallant performance and true class.

“All the learners are from previously disadvantaged backgrounds and were unemployed. Human capital investment is my passion and I believe in empowering the previously disadvantaged and sharing my passion with people who want to be up-skilled. The primary skill recognised in this qualification is the ability to apply the theory of repair and maintenance in order to diagnose and repair vehicles and components, and these are highly sought skills,” noted Louis.

Motivated to assist the learners further, Buscor prepared them for a trade test at Olifantsfontein, and they passed Buscor’s average of 2 out of 4 credits required for a qualified artisan. They will now complete the outstanding two credits.

At the event, the merSETA Client relations Manager, Semodi Phiri, congratulated learners, saying their success had exceeded expectations.

“Today’s ceremony shows that not only the universities or universities of technology can produce quality artisans.

The FET Colleges are also a cog for skills development…that is why the Department of Higher Education and Training together with the SETAs are working hard to build a strong vocational and training system through FET colleges,” she said.

Addressing graduates, Buscor Executive Chairperson Nora Fakude-Nkuna said the company was proud to assist unemployed youngsters prepare for the labour market.

“It is my honest belief that there are more opportunities now than ever before.

bUSCORTACKLE

SkiLLS SHOrtAGE A recent study has revealed that a mere 10 360 diesel mechanics service around 500 000 trucks. Realising the challenge at hand, Buscor rolled up its sleeves and up-skilled 16 learners in this field, writes Sibongiseni Ziinjiva Ka-Mnguni.

Features


Buscor Executive Chairperson Nora Fakude

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However, we need a special kind of young person who can convert challenges into opportunities. I am confident that you are equipped to grab the opportunities with ease.”

Speaking on behalf of the learners, Nokuthula Themba paid tribute to Buscor, the merSETA and TETA for the sterling role they played in preparing learners for a better future.

She said learners had learned how to overhaul vehicles as well as understanding the removal, dismantling and replacement of components and minor adjustments to vehicles’ systems.

With the qualification, learners can work effectively in various small businesses in the commercial automotive industry and related industries.

“Today’s ceremony shows that not only the universities or universities of technology can produce quality artisans...”

From top: merSETA Limpopo/Mpumalanga Client Relations Manager Semodi Phiri; graduates and dignitaries


He was responsible for engineering corporate governance at the merSETA. He was appointed Company Secretary in 2006, later rising to General Manager: Corporate Governance. He was promoted to the position of COO: Hr,

Strategy and Compliance in 2012. Mkhwanazi has since taken up the position of General Secretary for the Motor Industry Bargaining Council (MIBCO) with effect from 1 October 2012.

recipe for success

recounting his experience at the merSETA, Mkhwanazi says the reason behind the organisation’s success was the monitoring and evaluation mechanism put in place. “We introduced a form of monitoring. If the Board took a decision in a meeting, we ensured that we report back in the next meeting, and if something wasn’t done, we would explain why it wasn’t done and indicate when it is going to be done.

“We ended up being successful as an organisation because there was a clear understanding of the role of the Board and the management - the Board provided strategic direction, whilst management was in charge of the operational issues, and this created confidence with the stakeholders,” he pointed out.

Mkhwanazi is credited for advocating for an integrated approach to good governance, taking into account

stakeholder interests and encouraging the practice of good financial, social, ethical and environmental practice within the merSETA.

transparency and accountability

When he took over the reins as the company secretary in 2006, he was tasked with the responsibility to ensure the merSETA fulfilled its mandate in a manner consistent with best governance practice in respect of accountability, transparency, fairness and responsibility.

Not fazed by this seemingly insurmountable challenge, he introduced the concept of corporate citizens to safeguard corporate governance principles.

Cohesion and synergy

Under his stewardship, he was able to bring about cohesion within the Board, introduce the Annual General Meeting where public and stakeholders for the first time got an opportunity to interact with the merSETA about the well-being of the organisation, introduced Board assessments and ensured regular training of Board members and improved the information flow within Governance structures.

He championed synergy within the five merSETA chambers to cater for each chamber’s needs, thereby balancing those needs and the needs of the organisation.

THEmerSETAbIDSMkHwANAzi FArEwELL ThemerSETAhasbadefarewelltooneofitstopmanagementwhohasgoneontogreenerpastures.TomMkhwanazi,COO:HR,StrategyandCompliance,leftattheendofSeptember2012afterservingthemerSETAforsixyears.MkhwanaziplayedacrucialroleinensuringthemerSETAgrewinleapsandboundssinceDrRaymondPatelbecametheCEO.

Features


bySibongiseniZiinjivaKa-Mnguni

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This signalled a new era in the evolution of corporate governance at the merSETA and brought about a number of milestones to be achieved years later.

Legacy

As John C. Maxwell puts it, a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. Having engineered the transformation in corporate governance, Mkhwanazi is a living testimony of thoughtful leadership.

“I believe in sharing knowledge and my expertise with everyone, especially the people that I work with. That for me is the biggest legacy I have left for the organisation, because you can’t work in an environment and think you are indispensable.

“You need to share the knowledge so that everyone knows what they are supposed to do and how to do it. I would also like to take this opportunity and thank the Board, management, staff and stakeholders for a sound and cordial working relationship,” he said.

Tom Mkhwanazi graduated with BA Honours and an HDE from the University of Durban-Westville. Thereafter, he obtained various post-graduate diplomas in Public Management, Labour Law, Interpreting and Drafting of Contracts and Corporate Law from various institutions including Technikon SA, the rand Afrikaans University and the University of Johannesburg. His career began as an educator in Durban (Umlazi), after which he joined two municipalities in richards Bay (UThungulu regional Council) kZN and Brits (Brits Transitional Local now known as Madibeng Local Municipality) in the North West Province where he held various positions as Senior Administrative Officer, Chief Administrative Officer and Divisional Manager: Secretariat. He later joined the merSETA as Company Secretary and was later promoted to General Manager of Corporate Governance. When he left the merSETA, Tom Mkhwanazi was the Chief Operations Officer for Hr, Strategy and Compliance. He currently holds the position of the General Secretary for Motor Industry Bargaining Council (MIBCO) and was appointed to the position from 1 October 2012.

Tom Mkhwanazi

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Features

INDUSTRyINCOLLEGEAccelerated artisan programmes’ success hinges on greater college-workplace collaboration.

The gap between artisan training and industry requirements remains a core area of disquiet for business, which believes that urgent measures are needed to foster greater integration between training colleges and workplaces to deal with the deficit.

This concern was again aired at the recent Accelerated Artisan Training Programme (AATP) Symposium, hosted by the Manufacturing, Engineering and related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA).

The AATP was established five years ago to meet the growing demand of artisans in South Africa, with research showing that the country is in dire need of qualified artisans to replace the existing cadre, many of whom are approaching retirement age. The country’s New Growth Path goals stipulate that the artisan development system should have produced 90 759 new artisans by 2016.

Trade artisans are workers in a skilled trade that usually involves making, building or repairing things by hand, such as boilermakers, fitters, masons, builders, painters, jewellers, glassmakers, goldsmiths, mechanics, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, millwrights, chefs, panelbeaters, riggers, ship builders and toolmakers.

A report from the South African Oil and Gas Alliance (Saoga) states that, as technology advances, the gap will continue to increase unless new measures are put in place. Saoga, itself, is partnering with the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism, participating Further Education and Training (FET) colleges and industry to launch skills-development projects to bring college and industry together.

On a broader scale, the merSETA is moving to establish new partnerships between FET colleges and industry in a bid not only to narrow the skills gap but also to ensure that training remains relevant to the needs on the factory floor.

better Alignment

The role of FET colleges in these partnerships is to align themselves with industry requirements, offer improved career guidance to students, keep lecturers informed about industry advances and create more realistic expectations of the job market among students, as new graduates often demand the salary of an experienced artisan.

Colleges have been requested to allow industry to secure a seat on college boards, which allow it to be more involved in the training material used at colleges. This will contribute to artisans being work-ready when they finish their training.

Companies are urged to offer training to college lecturers and work through the curriculum and amend it as needed.

Employed and experienced artisans could also be released to participate in mentorship at colleges. It has also been suggested that companies host students on tours of their plants so that they can get a better understanding of the job requirements and risks.

Participants in the discussion recommended that Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas) help shorten the turnaround time of training by means of a fund to help students that have not completed matric gain work readiness and build an understanding of the minimum requirements for internship and apprenticeship programmes.

The effectiveness of this emerging college-industry partnership will be measured by the number of graduates being absorbed by industry and an assessment of the costs and investments of the training programmes.

Swiss South African Cooperation (SSACI) CEO ken Duncan suggested that an ideal artisan-training programme entails a work week where the days are divided between college and in-service training. In this way, problems at the college can be quickly identified and rectified to make the curriculum employer and market driven.


byJoanneTaylor

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Collaboration piloted

SSACI, in association with merSETA and the Joint Education Trust, implemented a six-month pilot internship programme to provide National Certificate Vocational (NCV) engineering graduates with access to the world of work through relevant, structured and appropriate workplace learning and to demonstrate an alternative pathway to the workplace for these graduates, through the successful implementation this internship programme.

The outcomes of the pilot programme were that interns felt that their internship was well managed and adequately supervised and they had access to the necessary resources. Companies involved with the colleges prior to the pilot programme said it strengthened their partnership and allowed for links to be explored beyond the pilot programme.

Duncan concluded that the companies confirmed that the pilot programme improved, specifically, the technical skills and knowledge of the NCV engineering students.

The benefits of such pilot programmes for apprentices include the close integration of theory and practice, the immediate reinforcement of learning, real working conditions at all times, fewer gaps between college and company in terms of technology, practice and ethos, as well as an early sense of responsibility and productive value.

The advantages for colleges include the promotion of a closer alignment of the curriculum with industry needs and regular interaction between colleges and companies, which often leads to income-generating contracts. It will also foster skills development among college staff and provide higher pass and employment rates.

“Colleges can offer training to lecturers, but companies must be dedicated to put in the work in the college-industry partnerships,” he says.

Academic Capacity

Lecturers’ competency also needed to be assessed, said University of Bremen Professor Felix rauner, who presented the findings of the Comet Competence Model deployed in Germany.

The model is a method of measuring the teaching competence of Vocational Education and Training (VET) teachers by evaluating functional (subject knowledge and methods), procedural (the ability to organise training efficiency and sustainability) and holistic shaping competence (creativity, sociocultural integration and social compatibility with students).

The model made it possible to identify the strengths and weaknesses of VET teachers’ competence. Valid and reliable data was a precondition to develop a strategy for reform, said rauner.

“The most influential determinant for successful vocational learning are VET teachers and trainers,” he argued.

Through the AATP programme, merSETA is focusing on pacing and structuring the development of competent apprentices over two to three years.

Apprentices entering the programme have higher entry qualifications than those of the standard four-year apprenticeship and the structure of exposure to the curriculum is highly regulated and monitored. Employers must have an apprentice intake of ten or more candidates and enough qualified artisans to mentor them to participate in the AATP programme.

A survey was done in July and August, in which merSETA sampled 500 artisan graduates. Its findings show that the number of students who pass their trade test on their first attempt and who finish their apprenticeship within the specified time is increasing.

The most common reason for not passing the test at the first attempt is that students were not adequately prepared, followed by 42% of the training providers blaming employers and 6% of employers blaming training providers, which is a significant motivation for the call to implement college-industry partnerships.

A total of 15% of the 500 artisan graduates surveyed remained unemployed.

Based on the findings, it was recommended that merSETA should take a more active role in facilitating the finding of employment for graduates, for example, creating a database of their artisans so that companies that need qualified artisans can search for them.

The survey also indicates that most artisans and employers still regard the duration of the programme – 24 months – as a crash course and there is evidence of a stigma attached to the word ‘accelerated’. It is recommended that merSETA rebrand the AATP with a name that reflects the programme’s qualification requirements and monitors the structure where compulsory theory and training are concerned.

Professor Felix rauner


SuccessStories

thinking big and Small

Other recommendations are that merSETA include an entrepreneurship and business skills component in the curriculum for trades, which will help artisans start their own businesses and thereby create much-needed employment for others.

It is also felt that the inclusion of small businesses in the training, development and employment of artisans should be a priority.

Most such enterprises do not have the capacity to manage within the rigours of the AATP and do not always employ training specialists, but they can benefit from the training grants and from employing qualified artisans.

Therefore, a collective method should be developed for small businesses in similar sectors operating in close proximity, where the management and administration of the training is handled externally, possibly by a merSETA employee or a regional office, and where an external provider can handle some of the training.

A key demand outcome, though, is that merSETA facilitate college-industry partnerships to improve the work readiness of graduates and the quality of their training, and assist them in finding employment or in starting businesses and create more jobs.

“It is up to industry to ensure artisans are trained accordingly, by partnering with colleges. Employers should have the final say in the training material because they are the end-users of the artisans,” merSETA CEO raymond Patel concluded.

From top: AATP apprentices; IRD GM: Derrick Peo; Ken Duncan; Helen Brown; Delegates at the symposium

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MERCEDES-bENZSOUTHAFRICAiNvESt r180-MiLLiON byIndependentCorrespondent

GermancompanyFriedrichboysenhasstartedconstructionofa10000m2FacilitytosupplycompleteexhaustsystemstoMercedes-benzSouthAfrica’s(MbSA’s)plant, inEastLondon,inaR180-millioninvestmentthatwillcreate70jobs.

The factory, to be constructed in the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ), will open its doors in the middle of next year, ready to supply MBSA’s new C-Class production line, says Friedrich Boysen president rolf Geisel.

The Boysen group manufactures a wide range of products for the automotive sector, including exhaust manifolds, catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters and silencers. It has manufacturing facilities in Germany, the US, India, China, Egypt and France. The plant in the ELIDZ will be group’s first facility in South Africa.

The factory will produce 90 000 exhaust systems a year. The Boysen group is the second component supplier, linked to the new C-Class programme investing in the ELIDZ in the last six months, says ELIDZ CEO Simphiwe kondlo.

Earlier this year, the first new international supplier to MBSA’s new C-Class, rG Brose, took up residence at the ELIDZ in a r80-million investment. The company will supply seat structures and door modules to the new C-Class.

kondlo adds that the ELIDZ is expecting another three “major announcements” on component supplier investments into its 16 ha Automotive Supplier Park, all linked to the new C-Class.

The park currently houses eleven first- and second-tier component suppliers, producing a range of components for the local and export market, including fuel tanks, brake and fuel pipes, suspension components, polypropylene impact dampers, wheelhouse liners, tyres and rims, boot liners and seat components.

MBSA manufacturing VP Arno van der Merwe notes that preparations for the launch of the new C-Class are “intensifying”, adding that “everything was on track” for the new model to start production at the East London plant in 2014.

“We want to increase our value-add and lots of work still needs to be done, but days like today are victories along this path.”

“Major announcements on component supplier investments into its 16 ha Automotive Supplier Park, all linked to the new C-Class.”


RARINGTOSETTHEENGINEERINGWORLDALIGHT

SuccessStories

By Achieve Correspondent

Helen comes across as shy, but eloquent and intelligent young woman. The Limpopo born attended her secondary schooling at Mountain View, and matriculated in 2008. She is studying towards a B-Tech in Metallurgy. Coming from Limpopo to the

city of Tshwane proved to be a big stage for her.

“My first year at university was very difficult, stakes were high and the pressure was unbearable. I was trying to adapt to the new environment, the life style, and at the same time my studies demanded a lot of attention.

“Basically, at the university it starts by choosing the right group of friends, because they are like a new family when you come to the university. This is where most young people entering the university for the first time make mistakes by trying to impress friends. Upon my arrival I fell on the same trap”, cautions Helen.

She had her work cut out as the life style at the university is so different; as a result she saw her world come crumbling down: “ill-discipline nearly cost me; I had a negative attitude towards maths and seldom skipped classes. I only opened my eyes towards the end of the first semester, when we were about to write the exams.”

Her academic results for the first semester were not looking good, and this required drastic changes. It started with getting rid of some of her friends. Tough it was a difficult

decision to make, but it had to be made. “I had to think for my parents, because I also have a sibling who is also at the university. My parents took a lot of strain financially.”

“This is where I turned the corner. I spent a lot of time with my study buddies at the library, studying day and night.

“My grades went up from that semester; this is where I knew how to produce a distinction in my academic record. I was pleased with my performance, and my parents were pleased too. In my second year, I got a call from Career Wise bearing good news that I got a bursary from the merSETA.”

Having got her priorities right and working hard, she went on to produce a distinction in maths 2 - ironically the subject she hated with passion. “I did well because I attended all my classes and I gave it my best short, and the study group played a huge role in this.”

Her choice of career was inspired by the under representation of women in the engineering sector. “If you compare our generation with the one before us, women were not given such opportunities, especially in the mining sector. But when the opportunity presented itself, I took it because I want to break stereotype associated with the field being labelled a ‘man’s world’.”

After completing her national diploma, she went on to do her practicals at Thusang metcor and Anglo American for

It’s early in the morning and we’re on our way to the Tshwane University ofTechnology(TUT)tomeetHelenMathabatha(19),oneofthejewelsbeingrefinedbythemerSETAbursaryscheme.Theuniversity isbuzzingwithyoung,vibrantstudents,somegettingtheirmorningexercises,othersrushingto the library tostarttheirday.

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“This is where I turned the corner. I spent a lot of time with my study buddies at the library, studying day and night.”

merSETA bursary beneficiary Helen Mathabatha


SuccessStories

P1 & P2. “I got exposed to large meteorological processes, and the experience was out of this world. In a company, you have to produce so that they can see that this is the kind of the engineer we want. Companies are profit orientated; therefore you have to be at your best at all times. It was an awesome experience for me.

“I got exposed to real scenarios, where as an engineer I have to think hard on how I am going to solve the problem.

When I choose metallurgy whilst still in grade 10, I knew that it deals with extracting minerals. What I liked the most about the field is a fact that it drives the economy of the country and I told myself this is where I want to be. It is very challenging in the mining industry, but I like challenges, they keep me on my toes.

Helen will be graduating next year with B-Tech, and she intends to study towards a master’s degree. “I would like to see myself being a researcher one day”. My sincerest gratitude to the merSETA and Career Wise, it has indeed helped me to fulfil my dream. I would like to urge them to keep on investing in young people, as the future of this country depends on young people.

“My grades went up from that semester; this is where I knew how to produce a distinction in my academic record. I was pleased with my performance, and my parents were pleased too. In my second year, I got a call from Career Wise bearing good news that I got a bursary from the merSETA.”

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SEt HONOur CREAMOFTHECROPTheScience,EngineeringandTechnologyprojecthelditsyearlyawardsatwhichachieverswererecognised.TheeventtookplaceattheUniversityofZululand,writes Sibongiseni Ziinjiva Ka-Mnguni.

The award ceremony recognised the 2012 learners who performed well on the merSETA Star Schools Incubator Programme. The programme has produced learners recognised amongst the top 10 in kwaZulu-Natal since its inception three years ago.

The project aims at developing Science, Engineering and Technology capacity-building amongst schools and in the FET sector.

The merSETA Star Schools learners are part of a national priority which addresses the skills shortage in the country. The project places emphasis on the following three points:

• Increasing the number of learners who pass Physical Science;

• Increasing the number of learners who pass Mathematics; and

• Increasing the number of learners who achieve Bachelor passes.

SET Project Manager Azwifaneli Tshisikamulilo congratulated the learners, saying hard work paid excellent dividends.

“It is such commitment and devotion that encourages the merSETA to do even more in terms of taking the programme to another level. We have taken a more militant stance in promoting maths, science and technology. We are pleased that we have managed to

achieve the objective of creating a pool of learners willing to take up maths and science,” he noted.

The programme has recorded major success, producing a 100% pass rate in all grades in the last three years (grade 11 and 12). In 2010, 28 distinctions were received and more than 82% of learners achieved university entrance. In 2011, five distinctions were received and more than 52% of learners achieved university entrance in kwaZulu-Natal alone.

SET Project Manager Azwifaneli Tshisikamulilo


Events

Out of 300 learners sponsored nationally by the merSETA, 218 achieved entry to university and 65 into universities of technology. A total of 283 learners were given the opportunity to further their studies at tertiary institutions.

Star Schools Chief Operations Officer Andrea Pratten described the success as role generating for those outside of the incubator programme.

“It is important that learners get recognised in front of their peers as they work hard towards these achievements, and this in turn motivates other learners to push harder for the end of year.

“It also creates awareness of the sponsorship and achievements at district and provincial level. For parents, it creates involvement and support for their children and also shows the culmination of what we have been working towards throughout the year.”

Pratten attributed the success to highly competent and dedicated educators, with full-time coordinators on site every Saturday to manage the smooth running of the programme, the programme’s hands-on management approach and quality management systems as well as the Star Schools teaching and learning methodologies.

“Thanks to the merSETA for their unwavering support and sponsorship, dedicated learners and educators, not forgetting the parents,” he concluded.

Learners at the awards ceremony

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2012merSETAAGM’s

From top (clockwise): Delegate at the Western Cape AGM; Delegates at the Gauteng AGM; Delegates at the Eastern Cape AGM; Delegate at the Free State AGM


Events


2012merSETAAGM’s

From top (clockwise): Delegate at the KZN AGM; Delegates at the Mpumalanga AGM; Delegates at the Gauteng AGM

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From top (clockwise): Delegates at the Eastern Cape and Western Cape AGM’s; Professor Ihron Rensburg; JJ Mbana; Professor Shirley Walters

32 AchieveDecember201232 AchieveDecember2012

Events

merSETAANDGIZ iNvESt iN GrEEN SkiLLS DEvELOpMENt ThepolicydrivetoinvestinagreenereconomyandgreenskillsdevelopmentreceivedamajorboostwhenthemerSETAandGesellschaftFÜRInternationanaleZusammenarbeit(GIZ)enteredintoacooperationagreement,writes an Achieve Correspondent.

This comes after the announcement by government to embark on a major policy drive to invest in a greener economy. Green skills development has been identified as a key focus area.

Skills development in South Africa has always been a national priority, but as the National Skills Development Strategy III (NSDS III) points out, “the absence of coherent strategies within economic and industrial sectors, compounded by the lack of systematic skills development to support and sustain growth and development,” is a key challenge.

The merSETA’s first strategic Sustainable Green Skills Development agreement with GIZ is aimed at driving the campaign of sustainable green skills development in the manufacturing and engineering sector. Sustainable Green Skills Development is a drive aligned to national priorities, inclusive of the National Development Plan (National Planning Commission) where one of the nine elements of a decent standard of living is clearly stated as a “clean environment”.

merSETA Chairperson Phindile Nzimande

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Four objective areas form part of the merSETA/GIZ cooperation agreement, including:

• research: a baseline research of the current sustainability and green skills activities across the merSETA levy-paying companies. The aim of the research is to use the recommendations to make informed green skills development decisions;

• Green job-specific qualification development and skills programme registrations: the merSETA has been appointed as the DQP for wind turbine technicians. A process has also begun to register the Building Energy Auditor Training (BEAT) skills programmes. The occupational trainer assessment system will be strengthened with a green skills focus;

• An energy audit of the merSETA head office facilitated by the BEAT programme trainers and learners;

• Career development: collaboration with the SAQA career portal to introduce green jobs and values into the portal content development, specifically focusing on the youth, FET colleges and rural contexts; and

Speaking at a summit hosted by the two organisations in Johannesburg, the merSETA Chairperson Phindile Nzimande said every SETA needed to undertake research to quantify environmental skills needs and related training requirements.

“South Africa’s capacity to use new development opportunities associated with the ‘sustainable development’ paradigm, and our ability to make better use of natural resources through efficiency, risk management and problem avoidance is currently hampered by a reactive approach to skills development for environmental functions.”

She indicated that among the merSETA sectors, the plastics industry has made the greatest strides in using recycled products as major raw materials inputs.

Notably, Plastics SA has placed significant effort into promoting the sustainability of the sector and increasing general awareness of recycling.

The global automotive industry is also putting much effort into the development of vehicles that do not use the current internal combustion engine. Alternatives include the electric engine, the hybrid engine (making use of both electricity and fossil fuels), fuel cells (using electro-chemical reactions to generate energy), and ethanol engines (using ethanol obtained from renewable plant crops).

“The merSETA believes that SETAs should play a central role in supporting business, in particular the manufacturing and engineering cluster in sustainable green skills development.

“In this respect, a strategic approach, which filters through the identified eight merSETA strategic programmes based on the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS III), has been adopted to ensure that the notion of sustainability becomes integral to planning and implementation,” said Ms Nzimande.

Skills that support the development and use of greener technologies are likely to become increasingly important in the sector and thus need to be considered among the merSETA’s skills development priorities.

“The merSETA Strategic Plan 2011/12-2015/16 has prioritised skills for sustainable development,” concluded Nzimande.

the merSETA and GIZ executive


merSEtA AND SAGDA JOINFORCES The merSETA and the SA Graduates Development Association (SAGDA)have signed an agreement that seeks to reduce unemployment amongengineeringgraduatesinSouthAfrica.

The agreement took effect in October this year.

The merSETA CEO, Dr raymond Patel, described the agreement as a bold move towards graduate development in the manufacturing and engineering sector. “We

are making an investment through skills development for the placement of graduates to be productive as well as providing a pipeline for talent management,” says Dr Patel.

Thamsanqa Maqubela, SAGDA CEO, echoed the sentiment, saying the agreement was a decisive move against the alarming rate of graduate unemployment in the discipline. “SAGDA has developed innovative programmes to provide graduates with the relevant skills needed to become ready for the world of work,” he added. SAGDA has more than 2000 unemployed engineering students, who need to complete in-service training as well as graduates and diplomates on its database.The merSETA has the financial investment and skills development project acumen, while SAGDA brings human expertise backed by its 15 years of experience in the field of graduate placement.

Maqubela added: “key to the partnership is the merSETA’s rich base of companies in the metal and engineering, auto manufacturing, motor retail and component manufacturing, new tyre manufacturing and plastic industries which will be opened for graduates to secure the much needed work experience to be productive in their careers.”

For the 2013 financial year, 10 graduates will undergo SAGDA’s career management and work readiness programme followed by a 12-month internship programme (with full stipend sponsored by merSETA) at an approved workplace.

The graduates will follow a supervised and mentored training programme and will apply their knowledge in the field of engineering or manufacturing.

“The merSETA looks forward to working with SAGDA to meet the demands of engineering, technician and artisan skills by increasing the number of employable graduates and companies participating in the programme,” Dr Patel concluded.

Events

SAGDA CEO Thamsanqa Maqubela and merSETA CEO Dr Raymond Patel


byIndependentCorrespondent

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The merSETA is one of the 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) established to promote skills development in terms of the Skills Development Act of 1998 (as amended). The 21 SETAs broadly reflect different sectors of the South African economy. The merSETA encompasses Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services.

The various industry sectors are covered by five chambers within the merSETA: Metal and Engineer-ing, Auto Manufacturing, Motor Retail and Com-ponents Manufacturing, New Tyre Manufacturing and Plastic industries.

leaders in closingthe skills gap.

MissionTo increase access to high quality and relevant skills development and training opportunities to support economic growth in order to reduce inequalities and unemployment and to promote employability and participation in the economy.

HEAD OFFICEmerSETA House, 95 7th Avenue, Cnr Rustenburg Road,Melville,JohannesburgTel: 010 219 3000Fax: 086 673 0017 EASTERN CAPE Pickering Park Office Suites, 14-20 Pickering Street Newton Park, Port Elizabeth, 6045Tel: 0861 637 734 Fax: 086 673 0017

GAUTENG SOUTH merSETA House, 95 7th Avenue, Cnr Rustenburg Road,Melville,JohannesburgTel: 010 219 3000Fax: 086 673 0017 GAUTENG NORTH & NORTH WESTAutomotive Supplier Park30 Helium RoadRosslyn Ext. 2Tel: 0861 637 731Fax: 086 673 0017 FREE STATE & NORTHERN CAPE46 Second AvenueWestdene Bloemfontein, 9300Tel: 0861 637 733 Fax: 086 673 0017

KWAZULU NATAL3rd Floor, Clifton Place19 Hurst Grove, MusgraveTel: 0861 637 736Fax: 031 201 8732 LIMPOPO & MPUMALANGASection 1 No.8 Corridor Crescent Route N4 Business ParkBen Fleur Ext 11, WitbankTel: 0861 637 735 Fax: 086 673 0017

WESTERN CAPE5th floor, Catnia BuildingBella Rosa Office DevelopmentBella Rosa Road, TygervalleyTel: 0861 637 732Fax: 086 673 0017

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www.merseta.org.za

Documents

merSETA Achieve Dec 2012