R135m boost for skills training
2 October 2003
The department of labour has set aside R135-million to fund skills development programmes and bursaries in an ongoing effort to address the skills shortage in the country.
Last year the department awarded bursaries to 577 postgraduate students to study auditing, actuarial sciences, biotechnology and mathematical sciences.
An additional 2 688 undergraduate students were awarded bursaries to study commerce, engineering, computer science and tourism management.
Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said his department had identified sectors where there was a skills shortage, including science and research, senior management in finance, project management, production planning and logistics management.
He added that there was also a shortage of professional, qualified and experienced technicians and associated professionals in the field of information technology and communications - such as computer programmers, systems analysts and
designers, professional software engineers and computer network managers.
Mdladlana said the country was also in dire need of macro-economic researchers, venture capital specialists, energy planning specialists, and medical specialists - including medical officers and specialists in theatre, orthopaedics, peadiatrics, health therapy, physiotherapy, dental therapy and radiography.
Other specialists in short supply include agricultural economists, forensic investigators, veterinarians, pharmacists, biotechology managers, quantity surveyors, architects and agricultural product technicians.
Mdladlana said that because of the inequalities created by apartheid, and low levels of education, especially among the black population, the country also has a short supply of mining and environmental engineers.
Source: BuaNews
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