and attend first toolmakers' graduation
4 November 2007
Many school leavers choose wrong career paths, studying courses at tertiary
institutions that leave them unemployed. The current demands of the market are
hard skills; most of them offered at our Further Education and Training (FET)
Colleges.
With 55 years as the average age of a toolmaker in South Africa, the need
for more and younger toolmakers has become crucial. Responding to this need a
unique partnership with the Tooling Association of South Africa and the
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education was formed, resulting in the first
Tooling Centre of Excellence being established at two of the KwaZulu-Natal
Education's FET Colleges (Umgungundlovu FET College and Coastal FET
College).
In August 2006, the training of 26 learners began at the Plessislaer Campus
of the Umgungundlovu FET College in Pietermaritzburg as the first leg of the
pilot project. The five host employers are Mekrolek, Ramsay Engineering,
Pfisterer, Somta Tools and Pressure Die Castings.
The learnership has proven to be a successful and students will receive
their certificates from KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Ina Cronjé on Tuesday, 6
November 2007, while plans are ahead in rolling out the level 3 learnership in
2008.
To ensure a well-balanced selection of educational subjects and to ensure
that the FET Colleges have the necessary resources there has been a major
national recapitalisation programme. MEC Cronjé will also undertake a tour to
other campuses to view new construction. A media conference will be held at the
Midlands Campus.
Date: Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Time: 08h30 to 14h00
The College bus will transport you from campus to campus.
Please meet at 08h00 at 47 Prince Alfred Street, Pietermaritzburg
Issued by: Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Government
4 November 2007
