• TVET colleges often teach specific artisanal skills but this is no longer sufficient in a dynamic economy.
• Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande has called for an evolution of the TVET curriculum to account for emerging tech.
• To cater for the future of work, TVET colleges and industry players must collaborate to provide more comprehensive education to TVET students.

The constant evolution of technology means that the world of work is constantly in a state of flux. From needing to understand the intricacies of remote communication and teamwork to now having to harness the likes of artificial intelligence, every year there is something new for business owners and employees to grasp.

To address this, we need to go to the roots of the workforce – the education sector. There is a need to adapt the education curriculum to account for an evolving world driven by binary code and this goes for TVET colleges as well.

This was the word of Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande speaking at the TVET Curriculum Transformation and Innovation Summit held at the Vodaworld Dome, Midrand on Monday.

The Minister used the event to highlight the various wins TVET colleges have accumulated over the years including growth in the institutions which now produce on average, 20 000 artisans per year.

But Nzimande also used the event to implore businesses and TVET colleges to collaborate in evolving the future of education.

“The responsiveness of TVET colleges to the twenty-first-century conditions, both locally and globally, is crucial. Various initiatives are underway to achieve this, including the establishment of seven Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) centres,” the Minister said in a speech.

“These centres, with the support of stakeholders such as the ETDP SETA, aim to scale up digital skills among students and staff. Leveraging the potential of the digital economy to reduce youth unemployment is a priority, and we are grateful to our partners such as HUAWEI, Cisco, GIZ, IYF, and others for their contributions to our digital skilling mission,” Nzimande added.

However, the minister was quick to point out that more industry players should get involved in the evolution of TVET education. Reviews of the curriculum offered at these institutions are performed regularly and have been since a resolution was passed at the TVET Imbizo held in 2017.

Put simply, the idea that TVET colleges simply need to impart specific trade skills to students no longer holds water in a dynamic economy. To that end, education, particularly as relates to artisanal skills, needs to be transformed.

“This transformation involves a shift from a narrow focus on technical skills to 21st-century skills which advocates for a broader emphasis on critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and adaptability. By integrating these 21st-century skills into TVET curricula, students will be better prepared to navigate the complexities of the modern economy, where job roles are constantly evolving, and cross-disciplinary expertise is highly valued,” says Nzimande

The minister says the curriculum should include emerging technologies like robotics, data analytics and AI. However, businesses need to help TVET colleges determine which skills are needed and sought after, or else TVET colleges are simply wasting time on tech that is really just a flash in the pan.

“By aligning TVET programs with industry needs, integrating digital skills, and fostering entrepreneurship, we aim to equip young people and adults with the knowledge and competencies necessary for gainful employment and improved quality of life,” the minister concludes.

The minister doesn’t say how training for something like AI – which is still a relatively new space – would be accomplished but we suppose this speech is meant to stoke action and find solutions.

How businesses and industry players can get involved in this process is unclear but a good place to start would be getting in touch with a local TVET to see how your business can assist in training the workforce of the future.

You can read Nzimande’s full speech here.

[Image – Markus Spiske on Unsplash]