Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande has applauded the City of Tshwane for its decision to give training opportunities to 500 students from Further Education and Training (FET) institutions on an annual basis.
The City’s executive mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa made the announcement during the State of the City Address on Friday.
“This is a very significant development that was announced by Mayor Ramokgopa because as government, we strongly believe that the FET college system is one of the key instruments for overcoming our skills shortages. Now to have government departments, state owned companies, municipalities and the private sector giving work-placement opportunities to FET College graduates completes the picture towards the provision of appropriate local skills for our growing economy,” Minister Nzimande said.
He added that Further Education and Training Colleges equip young people with important technical, business, administrative and other skills without which it is impossible to run a modern economy.
Minister Nzimande said easily accessible, high quality education and training for school leavers is essential if South Africa were to combat the skills crisis facing the country.
“Without an adequately skilled population, we cannot achieve the vision which has been mapped out by the New Growth Path, the National Planning Commission’s Vision 2030 and other national economic policies,” he said.
To create decent jobs in today’s world it is essential to have a skilled workforce which can use the latest technology for producing the goods and services required to compete effectively in the national and global economies.
“Given the high footprint of FET institutions in the City, the City will collaborate with these institutions to use the City as site of training; and given the budget and size of the City, a minimum of 500 students from FET institutions will be given training opportunities in the City on an annual basis,” Mayor Ramokgopa said.
