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By Johnathan Paoli
Fifty South African graduates from 21 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges are set to depart for China next week to undertake a fully funded, one-year e-commerce training programme aimed at strengthening digital commerce skills and promoting entrepreneurship among young people.
The group will depart from OR Tambo International Airport on Monday, as part of an international skills development initiative led by the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSETA), in partnership with the Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange Centre (CCIEEC).
According to W&RSETA, the programme is designed to equip young South Africans with practical skills in digital commerce, international retail standards and global trade trends, while exposing them to one of the world’s most advanced and competitive e-commerce environments.
“The programme is mainly aimed at equipping South African youth in digital commerce towards a drive to maximise a culture of entrepreneurship largely within the retail sector,” W&RSETA said in a statement.
The selected graduates were drawn from 21 TVET colleges across the country following a competitive process.
Their participation forms part of W&RSETA’s broader international programme, which identifies students annually and facilitates their training at foreign higher education institutions, while also ensuring exposure to global retail companies.
The China-based training goes beyond theoretical learning and is expected to include hands-on exposure to e-commerce platforms, online retail operations, digital marketing, logistics and supply-chain management, as well as international consumer trends.
Participants will also gain insight into cross-border trade practices and business management in a rapidly digitising global economy.
W&RSETA has positioned the initiative as a response to the growing importance of e-commerce within South Africa’s wholesale and retail sector.
As online shopping continues to expand locally, the authority has emphasised the need for specialised skills to support innovation, competitiveness and job creation in the industry.
The programme builds on a previous cohort of 82 TVET graduates who participated in the pilot phase launched in 2023.
That group completed the one-year training in China and returned to South Africa in May 2025. W&RSETA has described the pilot as a key milestone that helped refine the structure of the programme and strengthen collaboration with Chinese partners.
The initiative forms part of the authority’s long-term strategy to develop globally competitive skills within the wholesale and retail sector.
Youth unemployment remains one of South Africa’s most pressing socio-economic challenges, with young people continuing to face limited access to work opportunities, particularly in high-growth sectors linked to technology and digital services.
Skills development programmes that combine vocational training, international exposure and entrepreneurship support are increasingly viewed as critical interventions to address this challenge.
The focus on TVET graduates is also aligned with national priorities to strengthen vocational education and ensure that training is closely linked to industry needs.
By providing international exposure, W&RSETA aims to enhance the employability of graduates while encouraging them to apply their skills in local businesses or establish their own enterprises upon returning home.
The departure will take place at the International Departures terminal on Monday morning.
Upon completion of the programme, the graduates are expected to return to South Africa with enhanced technical skills, global perspectives and entrepreneurial insight.
W&RSETA has indicated that it will continue to support and engage with programme alumni to promote knowledge transfer and contribute to the growth of South Africa’s digital and retail economy.
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