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VHEMBE TVET College officially launched their very own Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) STREAM Laboratory at the Makwarela Campus on Thursday, 11 August. The students at the college will now be able to get real work experience to prepare them for the outside world with a theoretical laboratory and on-the-job training in 4IR skills, said TVET Principal Ms Basani Hlekane.
Hlekane was joined by Dr Nkosinathi Sishi, Director General for the Department of Higher Education and Training, the CEO of the Education, Training and Development Practices (ETDP) SETA, Ms Nombulelo Nxesi, Thovhele Gole Mphaphuli, some councillors from both the Vhembe and Thulamela District, and other role players in the education sector.
“In 2019, ETDP SETA funded our college to establish a fully inclusive artificial intelligence laboratory. Vhembe TVET College is ready to heed the call for the Fourth Industrial Revolution to create an environment where every student can enjoy the highest levels of human development. For the college to be able to create such an equitable and inclusive future, we must adjust our mindset and our institution,” said Hlekane.
The laboratory currently has four state-of-the-art machines, namely an industrial production line, a robotic arm, a 3D printing machine and a soldamatic welding simulator.
Dr Nkosinathi Sishi was very excited to finally launch the programme, which was commissioned by the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, in 2019. Nzimande has appointed a ministerial task team to investigate the implementation of the 4IR to respond to the challenges and opportunities that students might be facing.
“Some of the opportunities that must be embraced with the establishment of the 4IR require our education and training systems to become much more agile and to engage people much more actively in lifelong learning as societies and transformed economies. New skills will be required to create, maintain and leverage these new technologies,” said Dr Sishi.
“It is vital that the education and training on 4IR is visible, and more importantly, available at the level of higher education to ensure that learners adapt and learn to become and remain relevant to this fast-changing world through the understanding of 4IR,” he said.
Zoutnet