Edwin Tshivhidzo
5 October 2007
Over 400 delegates will brainstorm ways of tackling the shortage of skills critical to South Africa's growth at the National Skills Conference starting in Johannesburg on 18 October.
On the agenda will be concerns about the ability of the country's Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas) and other training institutions to meet the skills challenge.
A report on two years of implementation of the National Skills Development Strategy will give an indication of what progress has been made.
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who will open the two-day conference, said recently that the skills shortage was the biggest constraint to accelerated and shared economic growth in South Africa.
Speaking at a Skills Revolution Indaba in KwaZulu-Natal, Mlambo-Ngcuka said SA's economy required an increased government investment in capital formation backed strongly by an improved skills base.
The Deputy President said SA's tertiary Further Education and Training (FET) colleges were crucial for equipping students with high-quality skills.
"A person gains priceless life skills and work training to meet challenges with a practical know-how," Mlambo-Ngcuka said. "The importance of FET colleges for a developing country like South Africa is immeasurable."
This, she said, was because FET colleges were closely related to industries that needed trained graduates, providing education that was customised to market needs.
Source: BuaNews
