Thursday, 05 March 2026
For Immediate Release
The National Skills Fund (NSF) has reaffirmed its role as one of the main funders of WorldSkills South Africa (WSSA), demonstrating its continued leadership and commitment to artisan and skills development in South Africa. This strategic investment reflects government’s broader effort to strengthen the country’s skills base, improve the quality of technical training, and prepare young South Africans for meaningful participation in the economy.
The NSF’s support for WorldSkills South Africa forms part of a structured five-year national programme aimed at expanding, improving and sustaining apprenticeship and artisan development functions under the mandate of the Chief Directorate responsible for artisan development, implemented through INDLELA. This partnership reflects a deliberate effort to build a stronger and more coordinated skills development ecosystem that equips young people with practical, industry-relevant competencies and promotes excellence in technical and vocational training.
This commitment comes at a time when government has placed renewed emphasis on strengthening South Africa’s skills development system. During the 2026 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of transforming the country’s approach to skills development, stating that government is working to reform the skills system and implement a dual training model that integrates classroom learning with practical workplace experience. These reforms are aimed at strengthening the link between education and industry while ensuring that young people are equipped with the skills required by the modern economy.
The importance of strengthening the country’s skills pipeline was also highlighted during the 2026 national budget speech by the Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana, who emphasised the need for South Africa to improve how it equips individuals entering the labour market. The Minister noted that reforms in the skills development ecosystem must focus on better coordination between education, training institutions and industry so that training programmes respond directly to economic needs.
In this context, the NSF’s investment in WorldSkills South Africa contributes to government’s broader objective of building a capable and skilled workforce that can support economic growth and industrial development.
The NSF’s support for WorldSkills South Africa is guided by a robust governance framework designed to ensure accountability, transparency and measurable impact. This includes formal agreements between stakeholders, clear performance indicators, and regular reporting mechanisms. A Ministerial Oversight Committee has also been established to strengthen governance and provide strategic oversight over the implementation of this progamme.
As part of this commitment, the NSF has made a multi-year funding commitment to WorldSkills South Africa until 2030. This investment will ensure continuity, stability and the growth of national skills excellence programmes that benefit young artisans and technical professionals across the country.
The purpose of this funding extends beyond supporting South Africa’s participation in national and international skills competitions. It also aims to strengthen the broader skills development ecosystem by supporting the training and preparation of competitors and technical experts, improving operational capacity, promoting artisan careers among young people, and supporting key initiatives such as the Decade of the Artisan and Employer Programme.
Through these interventions, the NSF is contributing to the development of a new generation of highly skilled artisans capable of competing at both national and international levels. At the same time, the programme serves as an important platform to showcase the value and prestige of technical and vocational careers, encouraging more young South Africans to pursue occupations that are critical to the country’s economic development.
Importantly, this support extends far beyond the competition arena. Through its partnership with WorldSkills South Africa, the NSF is strengthening apprenticeship pathways, improving the quality of technical and vocational education and training, and supporting youth employability. These efforts play an important role in positioning South Africa as a globally competitive skills nation.
The NSF’s investment contributes directly to building a future-ready workforce for priority economic sectors such as infrastructure development, manufacturing, construction, automotive production and energy. These sectors remain central to South Africa’s economic growth strategy and require a steady pipeline of skilled artisans to support infrastructure delivery and industrial expansion.
All NSF-supported programmes, including the partnership with WorldSkills South Africa, are implemented through formal Memoranda of Agreement, dedicated project bank accounts, tranche-based disbursements, and regular quarterly and annual performance reporting. These mechanisms are complemented by ongoing monitoring and evaluation processes to ensure that programme outcomes remain aligned with national priorities and that public funds are safeguarded.
In September 2025, the Minister approved an additional R1.065 billion to expand the Artisan Massification Programme. This funding enables the onboarding of 4 725 additional beneficiaries and further strengthens the artisan development pipeline in critical sectors such as infrastructure, manufacturing, construction, automotive and energy.
Earlier, in January 2022, the NSF approved funding for 65 Skills Development Providers under a three-year Artisan Massification Programme, supporting the training of 5 885 artisans. The additional funding allocation allows the NSF to continue scaling up the programme while ensuring that training quality, workplace exposure and learner support remain central to the initiative.
The expansion of the Artisan Massification Programme has been approved with strict conditions designed to safeguard both the programme and its beneficiaries. These conditions include the introduction of a pay-for-performance contracting and payment model, which links funding to measurable training outcomes. In addition, information on approved Skills Development Providers will be published on the NSF website to enhance transparency and ensure greater visibility and accessibility for potential beneficiaries.
Both the Artisan Massification Programme and the WorldSkills South Africa initiative are aligned with the national priorities of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the targets outlined in the National Development Plan 2030. The National Development Plan sets a target for South Africa to produce 30 000 qualified artisans per year by 2030 in order to strengthen the country’s intermediate skills base and support sustainable economic growth.
Through programmes such as the Artisan Massification Programme and WorldSkills South Africa, the NSF is contributing directly to the achievement of this national target while ensuring the development of a sustainable pipeline of artisans across key economic sectors. These interventions focus on strengthening apprenticeship pathways, expanding workplace-based learning opportunities and improving the quality and relevance of technical and vocational education and training.
The NSF expresses its appreciation to all officials and stakeholders who continue to contribute to the successful implementation and oversight of these programmes. Their collective efforts play an important role in ensuring that South Africa develops the skills it needs to compete in a rapidly changing global economy.
The WorldSkills South Africa National Competition will take place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre from 08 to 12 March 2026. Alongside the competition, WorldSkills South Africa will host a two-day conference and a career festival targeting high school learners from Grades 8 to 10 from township communities across KwaZulu-Natal.
The conference will bring together, among others, captains of industry, policymakers and international delegates to reflect on and respond to the President’s call for the transformation of South Africa’s skills development system. Panel discussions will focus on strategic areas aimed at strengthening collaboration between industry, training institutions and government, and identifying practical solutions to advance the skills development agenda.
The national competition forms part of preparations for the WorldSkills International Competition to be held in Shanghai, China, in September 2026.
The DHET and NSF Public Relations and Communication Units will provide comprehensive coverage of the national competition across all NSF social media platforms to showcase the achievements of South Africa’s young artisans and promote the importance of technical and vocational skills development.
Through sustained investment, strong governance and strategic partnerships, the National Skills Fund remains committed to advancing skills excellence, strengthening the artisan pipeline and investing in the future workforce of South Africa.
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