Saturday 5 March 2016 06:24
SABC
Blade Nzimande says government need to diversify by looking in all spheres that have potential in creating employment for youth.(SABC)
More than 400 young people in the North West, who are to benefit from the SETA learning, skills programmes have appealed to government to create employment after completing the multi-million training project in Klerksdorp.
Government opened a R30 million skills development centre in the province. The centre will offer various learning programmes in business administration, plumbing and welding.
This is aimed at helping to skill young people so that they can easily create employment for themselves.
The North West economy and employment is more reliant on mining particularly in the mining towns of Rustenburg and Klerksdorp.
However, the industry is currently unstable due to the low commodity prices.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande says skills development in the country's Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and through SETA learning programmes are of critical importance if the country is to deal with youth unemployment and challenges of poverty.
Nzimande says government needs to diversify by looking in all spheres that have potential in creating employment.
"Attend to skills development that are in line with the major economic activities in this province. Special attention therefore must be paid to sectors such as agriculture, mining, construction and infrastructure, manufacturing, tourism and small medium and micro enterprising."
Boikanyo Dlomo from Lethabong village in the Bojanala region in Rustenburg didn't have the finances for tertiary education, but managed to get training through this skills project.
He says, "I will make sure that I create my own business and also to encourage other young people to follow my footsteps, so that they can obtain this skills, so they can also have qualifications so that in future they can have something in hand as their tool to fight against poverty and unemployment."
North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo says his administration will spend two-thirds of its budget to address many socio-economic challenges confronting rural communities, with skills development topping the agenda.
"I must also indicate that this is part of our programme to make sure that we pursue the objective from advancing our young people with various skills in the economy of the province."
He adds: "We have established in the Premier's office what is called YES, Youth Entrepreneurship Service. Its aim is to ensure that we equip our young people with the necessary skills."
Beneficiaries have made an appeal to government to assist them in creating employment for them, after completing their training.
Government further maintains that the diversification of skills is of critical importance to ensure that more artisans are trained every year.