CHIETA celebrates TVET month with two initiatives uplifting employment

In South Africa’s drive to create economic opportunities for our youth and unemployed individuals, it is vital to acknowledge and promote the role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. With August named ‘TVET Month’, the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) is proud to announce two TVET initiatives which are set to stimulate SMME activity and economic opportunities for individuals in the Western and Northern Cape provinces.

“TVET colleges are instrumental in providing development opportunities for our youth and opening doors for employment,” comments CHIETA CEO Yershen Pillay. “Together with SETAs, TVET colleges offer experiential learning opportunities to which help learners develop practical skills for a wide variety of jobs.” TVET colleges work with key industry role players to ensure that their courses are responsive to labour market needs, meaning that graduates of these colleges are well positioned to find employment. “Being largely subsidised and supported by government, SETAs and industry role players, TVET colleges offer an affordable education to young people; especially those from previously disadvantaged communities who live in rural areas,” comments Pillay.

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) launched August as TVET Month in 2014, and uses the annual event to introduce and encourage high school learners and those not in education, employment, or training (NEET) to enrol in vocational education and training and take up careers available in TVET colleges.

Stimulating opportunities for growth

CHIETA is launching two exciting initiatives in September 2021 in collaboration with two local colleges. “TVET colleges are a vital part of our education and training ecosystem, and these two programmes are important contributions to our mandate at CHIETA,” says Pillay.

In the Western Cape, CHIETA is hosting a small business incubator programme at False Bay TVET College, where 20 participants will join an Entrepreneurship Business Skills Development Programme which runs for 12 months through the college’s Centre for Entrepreneurship & Rapid Incubator (CfERI). “The impact of Covid-19 has created a desperate need for emerging SMMEs, youth-owned businesses, and informal businesses in the Western Cape to revisit their current traditional business operations. The Programme will introduce these businesses to practices which are more innovative and technology-driven to sustain their current business operations as well as increase productivity and competitiveness into the future,” explains Pillay. The False Bay TVET College in partnership CHIETA can provide a much-needed lifeline to sustain the informal trade sector to transition to more competitive business operations. The programme has been granted funding of R1-million from CHIETA.

In the Northern Cape, CHIETA is partnering with the Northern Cape Urban TVET College to conduct a Welding Skills Programme for unemployed individuals. The Programme is accredited through Mechanical Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (MERSETA), as welding is a skill overlapping many industries. “We plan to train 80 individuals aged 18 to 35, who will be awarded with certificates for completion and a statement of results stating the unit standards covered and found to be competent on,” explains Pillay. CHIETA’s contributions will cover tuition, PPE, and stipends for the duration of the programme.

“Partnering with TVET colleges is another way in which CHIETA strives to meet our mandate of facilitating skills development in the chemical industries sector. These initiatives are set to stimulate opportunities for young South Africans which will have wider positive knock-on effects for the surrounding communities and families,” concludes Pillay.

Former Madibaz student-athlete Eloise Webb said she would continue to work on her game after returning to action for the Springboks in the two-Test rugby series against Kenya over the past week.

After trouncing the East Africans 66-0 in Thursday’s opening encounter, the SA women’s side were given a much tougher match on Monday, eventually winning 29-22 in Stellenbosch.

The 25-year-old Webb, who studied at Nelson Mandela University from 2015 to 2018, played in both games and said it was exciting to get back into the swing of things as they continued the build-up to the World Cup.

This tournament will take place in New Zealand next year after being postponed from 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Playing at fullback, the Cape Town-based Webb said they had placed an emphasis on a number of areas to work on in the Kenyan series.

“We had certain focus points for both Tests that were important for the team and we also had to adapt to the situation of having a number of players coming into the side for the first time,” she said.

“It was a great opportunity for all of us to play again and to focus on the different departments of the game.”

Webb scored two tries in the first Test as the Boks ran away with the game, but said it was a much tighter clash this week after the Kenyans brought in several sevens players who had arrived back from the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

“They definitely brought the game to us yesterday[Monday] and it was a really good challenge for us,” she said“As a team we had to stick together and work hard for the win.

“I was happy with some points of my performance but there is still alot to work on going forward.”

She added that the next focus would be on a training camp which is scheduled to be held towards the end of October.

Webb is a talented sportswoman and played high-level cricket and netball, as well as throwing the javelin, before finally settling for rugby’s oval ball.

She said she was not that enamoured with rugby initially, but encouragement from her family saw her persist with the sport, which she has now come to love.

Her time at NMUsaw her develop her sporting skills.

“Studying at Nelson Mandela University was an amazing experience,” she recalled.

“I played netball and rugby at the time and the managers were incredible. They helped me grow as a person and as an athlete.

“Also my lecturers helped me alot as I was often away due to my rugby commitments, but they still allowed me to do my tasks and assignments online, which was great.

“I will always be grateful for the opportunities I received at varsity, which allowed me to further my sporting career.”