News Article

TVET UK led its first outward mission to South Africa in June 2008 comprising of 11 delegates from: Highbury College, Portsmouth, OSL Training, Cambridge Regional College, Bournemouth and Poole College, Action for Employment, (A4e), Charted Institute for Building, Tribal Learning and Publishing, Exponential Training & Assessment, Learning and Skills Network (LSN), Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL), and the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA).

The programme was split into three parts and included high level presentations and meetings in Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. The mission was planned and organised as the direct result of TVET UK’s previous visits to South Africa to develop and build relationships with government departments and agencies involved with implementing South Africa’s National Skills Development Strategy.

Johannesburg

In Johannesburg delegates received presentations from UK Trade & Investment, Services SETA, Association of Private Providers of Education and Training Development (APPETD) and Advtech Group followed by a networking session with APPETD members where contacts and potential business was pursued.  This was followed by a reception hosted by UK Trade and Investment where over 45 South African organisations with an interest in the TVET UK delegation attended.

The highlight was the signing of the ‘In principle Agreement’ which was as a direct result of meetings that have taken place over the last six months with Ivor Blumenthal, CEO of SSETA.  In January 2008 Ivor Blumenthal briefed TVET UK members on SSETA and its plans to address the ‘critical’ and ‘scarce’ skills shortages identified in the South Africans National Skills Development Strategy in London.

Following that initial briefing a 12 strong inward delegation of senior personnel and stakeholders from South Africa came to the UK in May 2008. The purpose of the visit was to identify suitable partners for their approved centre’s to deliver on South Africa's critical and scarce skills.  The South African delegation aimed to establish joint-venture and/or partnership network between South African Trade training institutions and UK institutions for the purpose of ensuring excellent trade training in critical and scarce skills areas in five of the nine Provinces in South Africa. 

Port Elizabeth

The visit to Port Elizabeth was by invitation from COEGA Development Corporation who is keen to work in collaboration with TVET UK and its members on a number of projects.  As a direct result of this visit two TVET UK members have revisited South Africa to partner with COEGA on a pilot project.

Cape Town

In Collaboration with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and UK Trade & Investment, TVET UK jointly hosted the first CCC Conference and Exhibition held at Northlink College over 2 days.  The theme of the conference was ‘Innovation in FET Colleges’ following the introduction of the new National Certificates Vocational as part of the National Skills Development Strategy for South Africa.

The conference was attended by some 300 plus FET College delegates from Western Cape, Kwa Zulu Natal and North West provinces.  TVET UK provided speakers for the main sessions on each day and all delegates presented in workshop sessions.  The exhibition gave delegates the opportunity to promote their products and services and provided the base for networking and the development of business contacts and opportunities to take place.

TVET UK is now working on developing a number of business opportunities that have arisen from the mission and is planning a further mission