News on training: Artisan Training

An Engineering News Online article dated 24 July 2010 provides an interesting range of views on artisan development in South Africa.

The article advises that the development of the Department of Higher Education and Training [DHET] (created in 2009, when the former Department of Education was divided into the DHET and Basic Education, with the DHET also taking over the skills-development functions from the Department of Labour) has emerged as the principle custodian of the artisan training push. DHET director-general Mary Metcalfe is quoted as claiming that “…there has been a definite increase in artisan output over the past four years and that progress has also been made in addressing the legacy of artisan dearth”. She also acknowledged ‘ ……that the challenges associated with the need for an intergenerational transfer of knowledge and skills persist, while young artisans are also finding it difficult to secure opportunities for practical workplace experience”.

Readers are also advised that `The DHET has started work on smoothing out the functional problems related to trade testing’.

A copy of the article can be obtained here.