Addressing the skills shortage, boosting economic and inclusive growth, reducing unemployment and aligning with South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) of producing 30 000 artisans annually by 2030. These are the objectives of the Sasol and Kagiso Trust National Skills Competition, with the national finals taking place last week in Johannesburg.
This annual skills competition sees the partners contribute to boosting the vocational skills pool of the country, an initiative dedicated to the promotion of skilled trades and technologies as viable, first-choice career options for South African youth. This competition aims to encourage young people to consider a career in skilled craftsmanship and latest technologies, and the many opportunities that people trained in these specialisations can have.
August and September saw learners and teachers from various schools across the country compete against each other and demonstrate their skills when it comes to welding, woodwork, civil services, automotive, electronics, construction, electrical work and engineering graphics and design (EGD). Thursday and Friday last week saw the top students and teachers from each province compete for the accolade of national winner in each category, with prizes including apprenticeships worth approximately R300 000 from the Artisan Training Institute and scholarships worth R20 000 from CAD4ALL and StemLAB as well as robotics kits, toolsets, courses and vouchers with other prize sponsors including Modena and Old Mutual.
“We at Kagiso Trust recognize that addressing South Africa’s skills gap, particularly in artisanal trades, is essential for the economic empowerment of our youth. By partnering with Sasol Foundation and the Department of Education in this initiative, we are not only promoting vocational training as a viable career option but also directly contributing to the future of our economy. Programs like these build a pipeline of skilled individuals who will drive innovation and growth, while also tackling the pressing issue of youth unemployment,” says Dr Mankodi Moitse, CEO of the Kagiso Trust.
“An exciting trend which is escalating every year is the number of girl learners who are not only participating, but also winning their categories, a trend worth celebrating as more women become skilled in various trades and become more financial independent,” says Gao Mothoagae, Vice President for CSI and Sasol Foundation.
“As a transformational pathfinder in education fuelling the growth of human potential in the fields of engineering, science and technology, Sasol bridges skills gap to foster adaptability in a transitioning world. Skills competitions not only raise professional standards but also raises awareness and introduces the potential of a skilled career to a much wider audience,” continues Gao Mothoagae, who adds that for sustainable development to occur, there is an urgent need to pay significant attention to training highly skilled human resources to serve as key drivers of the economy.
Running for seven successive years in some provinces already, the Sasol and Kagiso Trust schools national skills competitionhas the potential to develop the skills of more than 10 000 participating learners and their teachers.
Sasol itself will also benefit from a skilled youth in its fence-line communities who can participate in shutdown processes and other technical community projects, thus further benefitting the communities in which it operates. Kagiso Trust, on the other hand will benefit for its many programmes that are advocating for access to in-demand skills that will bring impact to the youth and their communities.
This Junior Skills competition this year came at the conclusion of the World Skills Championships, a biennial competition that sees various countries compete. It takes about five years to prepare the national team that participates in these global competitions, with these schools skills competitions contributing towards this preparation. The South African Team was sent off on 30th August to the World Skills Championships in Paris.
