The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (Merseta) pledged to place 8831 unemployed learners in learnerships (and/or apprenticeships) by May 2004 as part of its commitment to the Growth and Development Summit (GDS). With the deadline expiring at the end of May, Woody Aroun spoke to some of the Merseta stakeholders to find out whether they had met the target.
Janet Lopez, currently chairperson of Merseta and head of the skills development unit at the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (Seifsa), claims that almost 4500 workers are undergoing apprenticeships. According to her, this figure represents part of the 8831 learners as promised at the Growth and Development Summit.
Figures supplied by Chantelle Oosthuizen, Communications Officer for Merseta, show that a total of 5666 learners have been placed. This includes 1266 learners on learnerships plus 4400 apprentices on apprenticeships. (see box)
“Indications are that the Merseta will easily meet its target of 8831 learners. This month, as a final drive we will be embarking on a national learnership campaign which will see our regions hosting learnership drives amongst selected companies within their regions”, says Oosthuizen.
Learnerships by chamber
Auto
111
Metal
425
Motor
615
New Tyre
25
Plastics
90
Apprenticeships by chamber
Auto
130
Metal
2145
Motor
2125
But Malebo Mogopodi, Numsa’s training sector co-ordinator is not so confident.
“The GDS specified that learners must come from the unemployed. The learners and apprenticeships mentioned here, started before the commitment made in terms of the GDS. The Merseta is currently in the process of identifying project managers for all the chambers to deal specifically with the GDS commitment.”
However, she is hopeful that a new learnership qualification in manufacturing will begin to take up the unemployed. This new learnership is at level 1 of the National Qualifications Framework. It is a foundation course that will benefit not only learners who have no formal qualifications, but also those who have formal qualifications but lack the necessary work experience.
Oosthuizen reports that the learnership is “already rolling out at companies and demand has exceeded expectation. We’re looking at around 4000 learners being registered on this learnership alone by March 2005.”
Meanwhile the Merseta reports that approximately 40 000 people have had access to training in various other skills programmes, ranging from safety and health training to ABET and HIV/Aids training.