COVER FEATURE: IKHALA TVET COLLEGE
Ultimately, when alignment works well, the skills system becomes a strategic economic instrument. It supports industrial policy objectives, strengthens public infrastructure delivery, enables entrepreneurship and contributes to more inclusive growth. For this reason, strengthening the responsiveness, quality and industry partnerships of TVET colleges remains a central priority in building a skills system that is both socially responsive and economically impactful.
How does the DHET and TVET Colleges balance immediate demand for job-ready skills and longterm adaptability? The occupational programmes provide students with the relevant and current skills required by industry and society. They also provide high opportunity for entrepreneurship since students gain practical workrelated skills while completing the programme. Many of these programmes are also linked to entrepreneurship programmes and initiatives that are offered in TVET colleges.
Employers are among the biggest beneficiaries when skills development is properly aligned with economic priorities.”
How are TVET Colleges preparing students for emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence? There are various occupational qualifications that colleges are introducing in the ICT space, including those programmes related to 4IR and artificial intelligence( AI). To support these programmes, there are various initiatives at national level to assist lecturers in enhancing their skills to facilitate learning in occupational qualifications. These initiatives obviously target those programmes that are national skills development imperatives and in which many colleges are involved. TVET colleges are empowered through their Councils and Academic Boards to engage in partnerships to support lecturer capacity enhancement in programmes that are niche to their areas.
What policy levers enable increased apprenticeships and placements? Strengthening ties between industry and TVET colleges requires moving from ad-hoc partnerships to structured, system-wide collaboration that is embedded in planning, funding and programme delivery. In practice, this means employers must be involved not only at the point of student placement, but throughout the training value chain – from occupational demand identification and curriculum design to assessment and certification.
The Department plays a central facilitation role by setting policy direction, coordinating stakeholders and supporting institutional capacity. This includes improving labour-market intelligence systems, strengthening governance and quality assurance mechanisms, investing in modern workshops and equipment, and promoting Centres of Specialisation( CoS) that deepen industry collaboration in priority trades.. How does workplace-based learning help TVET students transition more smoothly from graduation into permanent employment? Workplace-based learning is central. Alignment is achieved when students graduate not only with a qualification, but with verified practical experience gained through apprenticeships and structured industry placements. This significantly improves employability and helps address the persistent paradox of high unemployment in South Africa. Employers are among the biggest beneficiaries when skills development is properly aligned with economic priorities. In practical terms, it means firms can access a more reliable pipeline of job-ready workers with the technical and workplace competencies required to improve productivity, reduce operational risks and support business expansion.
Tell us a bit about phasing out traditional NATED( N1-N6) qualifications in favour of new Occupational Qualifications. The traditional NATED programmes( including N4 – N6) are outdated and not fit for the development of skills required in a modern economy. Their structure and content are no longer responsive to the skills development needs.
The current students enrolled on NATED programmes will be allowed to complete their programmes within the provided teach-out timelines and transitional arrangements. For instance, one of the conditions for the last cohort is that they have two chances( i. e. two semesters / trimesters) to complete each of the N-levels of the NATED programmes. sabusinessintegrator. co. za 9