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By Johnathan Paoli
Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to repositioning Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as a driving force for economic transformation, youth empowerment and the reindustrialisation of South Africa.
Nkabane officially opened the Mechanical Fitter and Fitter and Turner Workshops and Trade Test Centres at the South West Gauteng TVET College’s (SWGC) Molapo Campus in Soweto on Monday.
“South West Gauteng TVET College is a shining example of how technical and vocational training can be repositioned as a first choice for various careers of our young people. Today’s launch demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that institutions do not only train for qualifications, but train for jobs, for economic participation and for dignity,” the minister said.
The opening, held on the last day of Youth Month, celebrated both the legacy of the 1976 generation and the government’s ongoing efforts to equip today’s youth with practical skills that fuel economic growth.
Nkabane described the new facility as a beacon of hope and a model of excellence that supported skills development, youth employment and inclusive economic participation.
“An artisan is not a backup plan; an artisan is the backbone of a thriving 21st-century economy. TVET institutions are not just places of learning, but engines of socio-economic transformation,” Nkabane declared.
The new trade test centres and workshops are part of the department’s Centres of Specialisation Programme. The flagship initiative is aimed at increasing the quality and relevance of artisan development.
In 2024, the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education Training Authority invested over R19 million to refurbish and equip the facilities to global occupational standards.
“This project is a testament to what is possible when government, industry and education institutions work together. These partnerships ensure that our youth are not just trained for qualifications, but trained for jobs and for dignity,” Nkabane said.
The centre aims to directly contribute to the National Development Plan’s goal of producing 30,000 qualified artisans annually by 2030.
According to the South African TVET Student Association (SATVETSA), the country currently produces approximately 20,000 artisans per year, a figure that must grow rapidly to meet national industrial and infrastructure demands.
SATVETSA president Kgaogelo Chokoe said in her message of support that TVET colleges needed to evolve into “hubs of collaboration and innovation”, which responded to global and local industry trends.
“We must forge partnerships that enhance learning and create real pathways to employment and entrepreneurship,” she said.
The minister praised the college for its continued success in developing artisans.
Since 2020, the college has trained over 190 qualified artisans through a strategic partnership with Thuthukisa and Afrox, backed by Food and Beverages SETA.
In addition, more than 180 learners have successfully passed their trade tests via the Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning programme supported by a combined investment exceeding R17 million.
In 2025, the Local Government SETA awarded the college over R53 million to implement 19 occupational programmes in trades such as welding, bricklaying, electrical and business studies, including learner stipends.
Furthering international exposure and innovation, a Tripartite Memorandum of Agreement between the college, Energy and Water SETA and the Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange Centre will send nine apprentices and one facilitator to Energy Power College in China.
They will undergo specialised training in renewable energy technologies, including solar panels, lithium batteries and inverter manufacturing.
The workshops and trade test centres are expected to empower hundreds of young South Africans each year, offering not only certification but meaningful pathways to permanent employment and entrepreneurship.
Drawing parallels to the youth of 1976, who fought for access to education, the minister said that today’s young people deserved not only access, but opportunity, quality, and empowerment.
She reminded attendees that Soweto remained a powerful symbol of resistance, renewal and now technical transformation.
“You are not just the leaders of tomorrow; you are the builders of today. Let this centre produce artisans who will rebuild our economy, fix our infrastructure and innovate for a sustainable future,” she said.
Nkabane described the Molapo Campus as a national model for excellence in vocational education and industry aligned training.
“Let this be a legacy of empowerment, not only for the youth of Soweto, but for Gauteng and South Africa at large,” she said.
Video by Kgalalelo Setlhare Mogapi.
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