Western Cape pupils came out tops at the Sasol Foundation and Kagiso Trust National Skills Competition finals in Johannesburg.
Learners and teachers from various schools across the country competed against each other and demonstrated their skills when it comes to welding, woodwork, civil services, automotive, electronics, construction, electrical work and engineering graphics and design (EGD) in August and September.
The top pupils and teachers from each province competed for the accolade of national winner in each category last week, with prizes including apprenticeships worth approximately R300 000 from the Artisan Training Institute, scholarships worth R20 000 from CAD4ALL and StemLAB, as well as robotics kits, toolsets, courses and vouchers.
Zinzan Arries from Bellville Technical High School came first in the civil services category. Eben von Goldfuss from Westcliff School of Skills in Bellville came first in the welding and metal work category.
Christof Nelson from Drostdy THS in Worcester came first in the automotive category.
Kayden Chandler from Langenhoven Gimnasium in Oudtshoorn came first in the power systems category, with Granwill Klaas from Môrester Sekondêr in Oudtshoorn coming second in the woodwork category.
Jamie Lane from Wynberg Boys High School in Cape Town achieved third place in the electronics category.
“We recognise that addressing South Africa’s skills gap, particularly in artisanal trades, is essential for the economic empowerment of our youth.
By partnering with Sasol Foundation and the Department of Education in this initiative, we are not only promoting vocational training as a viable career option, but also directly contributing to the future of our economy.
Programmes like these build a pipeline of skilled individuals who will drive innovation and growth, while also tackling the pressing issue of youth unemployment,” said Dr Mankodi Moitse, CEO of the Kagiso Trust.
Vice president for CSI and Sasol Foundation, Gao Mothoagae added: “An exciting trend which is escalating every year is the number of girl learners who are not only participating, but also winning their categories – a trend worth celebrating as more women become skilled in various trades and become more financially independent.”
Cape Times