By Denira Gounden
Tshwane South TVET College’s Pretoria West Campus, hosted the Digital Skills Outreach Programme on 29 September, bringing together a range of industry stakeholders to equip students with the necessary tools and information on available training and certification opportunities, career guidance, industry exposure and entrepreneurial support.
The National Skills Fund (NSF) demonstrated its commitment by engaging with students about the available education and training opportunities that support student participation in programmes within the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system. NSF officials provided students with valuable information about funding pathways and available opportunities to support their education and training.
NSF Deputy Director: Bursaries, Mr Nyiko Hlekane addressed students on linking skills development to economic opportunities and outlined how NSF funding supports education and training programmes that equip students with relevant skills for accessing employment opportunities and pursuing entrepreneurial activities. Mr Hlekane highlighted that acquiring relevant scarce and critical skills could help students pursue employment or establish their own businesses, creating opportunities to apply their training productively and generate an independent income.
Demonstrating how practical training could support employment and help students establish their own business ventures, Mr Hlekane explained “if you become a part of those students who will be able to install solar panels it means either, you’ll be employed in order for you to install solar panels or you can start your own company.”
NSF’s participation complemented its funding role through direct engagement with students, creating an opportunity for them to ask questions about education and training opportunities. This interaction helped clarify the pathways discussed during the programme and reinforced the importance of providing accessible information to support students as they consider their next steps in learning and development.
