The WC Government has identified Apprenticeships as a Game Changer in order to leverage the power of work-based learning through apprenticeships to improve people’s skills and livelihoods, in particular our youth. Their aim is to ensure sufficiently qualified technical and vocational skilled young people to supply the needs of the prioritised growth sectors in the Western Cape – namely tourism, oil and gas, agri-processing and the enabling sectors of renewable energy and ICT. Their target is to produce an additional 32 500 employable TVET graduates by 2019.

Focus for 2017/2018

• Intensifying Maths support in the province’s 23 technical high schools and 50 other schools
• Enhancing public awareness of the technical and vocational career path through TVET colleges
• Engaging employers about taking on learners for workplace-based learning programmes such as apprenticeships
• Piloting an innovative dual system apprenticeship programme, such as for Solar PV Installers.

How can business help?

1. Taking on workplace-based learners such as apprentices:

• Ask: Can business open their workplaces for learners to access workplace-based learning programmes?
• Cost: R100 000 per learner per year that can almost be completely offset by funding and allowances from government and other donors through the Employment Tax Incentive and tax allowances.
• Benefit: An effective way for you to grow your own talent by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.

2. Support career awareness campaigns:

• Ask: Allow learners to visit and tour your workplace and/or support skills competitions with equipment, tools, consumables and experts and/or run in house TVET career advocacy campaigns among your employees.
• Cost: Transport cost for learners visiting your workplace. Competition support is around R10 000 per learner per competition.
• Benefit: Support and encourage young people to become highly skilled employees that can be employed by your business in the future.

3. Technical Advisory Forums:

• Ask: Participate in the Technical Advisory Forums that are facilitated by the Western Cape Government and TVET colleges.
• Cost: No cost
• Benefit: Ensuring that your skills development needs are included in provincial government and TVET college planning processes.

4. Maths support in TVET colleges and schools:

• Ask: Sponsoring Maths assistants at a local TVET campus, running in house advocacy campaigns to recruit retired Maths teachers who could be assistants and/or sponsoring eLearning Maths interventions at a local school.
• Cost: R300 000 per annum per TVET college assistant and on average R50 000 per eLearning intervention.
• Benefit: Contribute to fixing the Maths crisis and increasing the number of quality workplace-based learners.

5. Recognition of Prior Learning:

• Ask: Support the development of recognition of prior learning toolkits with subject matter experts and/or support employees to become certificated through recognition of prior learning.
• Cost: On average R10 000 per toolkit. Around R20 000 per employee for taking time off for training, which can be offset through government subsidies.
• Benefit: A credible national accepted competency based recognition of prior learning system available to you and other employers. Better skilled employees who are certificated.

6. Short Courses or specialised Learning:

• Ask: Support and participate in the identification of specialised training needs and the development of related courses through the Technical Advisory Forums.
• Cost: No cost
• Benefit: Specialised training is developed to meet the skills needs of your business.

7. Mentorships:

• Ask: Identify and support employees who are experts in their occupational field to become certificated workplace mentors.
• Cost: Around R10 000 per employee for time off to attend workplace mentor training, which can be offset through government subsidies.
• Benefit: Increase the pool of qualified mentors who can guide and oversee apprentices working in your business.

8. Dual System Pilot Programmes:

• Ask: Support the development of a modern global best practice workplace-based curriculum and/or become a workplace learning site for a pilot A21 dual system apprenticeship.
• Cost: An A21 apprenticeship will cost around R300 000 per learner, per occupation that can be completely offset by funding and allowances from government and donors
• Benefit: Directly influence and ensure the new curriculums being developed meet your business needs.

For more information of how to get involved, contact Elizabeth Walters on elizabeth.walters@westerncape.gov.za and Nisha Daya on nisha.daya@westerncape.gov.za.