The Department of Higher Education and Training held the 5th World Skills National Competition, Conference, and Career Festival at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Durban International Convention Centre (DICC) in KwaZulu-Natal which took place from the 01 – 03 February 2024 under the theme “Skills Change Lives”.
The Department of Higher Education and Training has been the driving force behind the World Skills South Africa (WSSA) project. Even though South Africa has been participating in World Skills International (WSI) events since 1990, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training formally instituted WSSA in April 2013.
Within the South African environment, participation in the World Skills Competition has enormous potential to affect the development and employability of South African youth. Furthermore, it serves as an excellent vehicle for boosting awareness of apprenticeships and artisanal skills, including improving the quality of vocational education and training. This project also supports the Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) ‘Decade of the Artisan’ program.
The competition was graced by Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, Deputy Minister Buti Manamela, who emphasized the importance of the World Skills Competitions saying that they hold immense value for young people.
‘By participating in these competitions, they not only showcase their skills but also gain exposure to international standards and best practices’.
‘The experience gained at these competitions is invaluable and can shape the future trajectory of their careers. Therefore, we must continue to support and promote the participation of our young people in such events,’ said Manamela.
World Skills South Africa has two-yearly national competitions where students from Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges and Universities of Technology compete in various artisan trades.
This year, students participated in 21 different skill areas and the winners will represent South Africa at the World Skills International competition in Lyon, France in September 2024.
South West Gauteng TVET College was represented by three George Tabor Campus – Fashion Technology students, even though in essence, they were representing the Gauteng Province since they had passed the Districts and Inter-college competition stages, namely: Kamohelo Mofokeng, Itumeleng Ramathibe, and Ofentse Chauke. Among the three, Kamohelo Mofokeng won the Fashion Technology Category, and Itumeleng Ramathiba defeating all six competitors from other regions and earning a Gold and Bronze Medals, respectively. Their success is an inspiration to us all, proving that dedication and passion lead to remarkable achievement.
Gauteng Province demonstrated that it means business in this competition by winning four gold medals in Aircraft Maintenance, Fashion Technology, Mechatronics, and Restaurant Services. The province also won many silver and bronze medals in different categories.
We have also witnessed our lecturers, Mr. Tsolo, Molapo Campus Welding Lecturer, Mr. Sibiya, Roodepoort West Campus Electrical Senior Lecturer, and Mr. Manyama, George Tabor Fashion Technology Lecturer, participate and add value in a variety of roles during the World Skills competition, such as Floor Manager, Expert, Judge, and so on.
Overall, the College sent a cohort of staff members from various campuses (only campuses offering skills-related programmes) to observe, benchmark systems, and improve its processes so that it can properly plan for the next competition in the next two years.
End
