Apprenticeships key to economy

Offering students skills training opportunities after passing Grade 9 can only benefit the country

YOUR article published on September 28 in the Weekend Argus by your journalist Siyabonga Mkhwanazi regarding the Grade 9 cut-off plan denied puzzles me to no end.

Prior to our democracy in 1994, the former South African regime had an apprenticeship scheme in place that trained and qualified artisans such as fitters and turners, electricians, auto electricians, sheet metal workers, boilermakers, coded welders, millwrights and instrumentation technicians who were highly sort after by countries like Australia, Canada, South America, New Zealand as well as countries in Africa.

An apprenticeship is a three-way contract between the company, government and an apprentice.

Once the apprenticeship contract is signed, it is then up to the company to see that the apprentice is registered to a technical college that offers three-month yearly theory training course on subjects like machine design, maths, engineering drawings and strengths and machine properties of metals in the case of mechanical engineering trade.

The course includes N1, N2, N3 and should they wish to study further N4, N5 and N6. My advice to the powers that be is to stick to the old former apprentice theory course of N1-N6. Applied science is not going to help you strip and repair a John Brown gearbox or a Warmen mechanical suction pump.

After a minimum of four years, the apprentice does a practical trade test, and once he or she passes, they become a qualified artisan.

For this to happen, there are a couple of factors that need to be in place. The company that offers the apprenticeship needs to have qualified staff as well as an apprentice training centre.

The South African government needs to have a Trade Test Centre, where an apprentice can do his or her trade test after his or her apprentice training period is completed. Failing that, he or she automatically qualifies through a time frame of five years.

Sadly, this was all in place prior to our democracy in 1994. We had a very well managed trade test centre in Olifantsfontein in Gauteng, and today, the average qualified artisan that went through that system prior to 1994 is 64 years, on average.

The Honourable Minister Angie Motshekga has the right idea of offering students after passing Grade 9 to opt for an apprenticeship of some form.

A large percentage of a country’s economy is based on manufacturing, thus, resulting in job creation.

Failure to sort this out, and South Africa will just be another African economy of importers. Should the apprenticeship scheme be implemented tomorrow, you will not see the results for at least 4-5 years going forward.

The writer says artisans such as welders, boilermakers and electricians are key to South Africa.