Skills development centre to be launched in North West

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Pretoria - The North West provincial Public Works and Roads department and the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA) are to launch a provincial office and skills development centre.

In partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training, the centre will be located in Klerksdorp, 74 Boom Street.

Friday’s launch of the centre will be attended by North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo and will be accompanied by Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande and the MEC for North West Public Works Madoda Sambatha.

“The Services SETA has taken heed to government’s call to provide young people with such an infrastructure where communities will be equipped with the necessary skills that align directly with their skills needs.

“This way people are enabled to play a direct role in growing the local economy and improve their own socio-economic status,” said the Services SETA in a statement on Wednesday.

It said lack of skills and employment opportunities remains as a major challenge facing South African youth from disadvantaged backgrounds in the country.

“Many areas have a lack of study facilities or skills development centres, where young people can be trained and given the required skills to enter the job market or start their own enterprises,” Service SETA said.

The centre is the only one of its kind in the province and will serve to ensure that communities in the North West are closer to training opportunities to improve their skills, increasing their job prospects in the market.

In addition, 437 learners from various parts of the province, who are beneficiaries of the Department of Public Work’s Skills Development programme, which will also be launched on the day, will be at the launch.

The Public Works Skills programme consists of learnerships and internships that include cleaning, business administration, call centre management, recognition of prior learning (RPL), national vocational certificate (NVC), boiler making, painting, plumbing and welding.

The Services SETA is a state entity that facilitates funding of skills development and sector based training. – SAnews.gov.za