Port Rex, Stirling pupils excel in national contest

The annual Sasol Foundation and Kagiso Trust National Skills Competition saw Tjaart van der Walt from Port Rex Technical School scoop second place in the automotive category, while Marissa Rademan from Stirling High School beat out stiff competition to come second in the engineering graphics and design (EGD) category.

Held last week in Johannesburg, the competition forms part of the national directive aimed at reducing unemployment and producing 30,000 artisans annually by 2030, as mandated by the SA National Development Plan (NDP).

This competition aims to encourage young people to consider a career in skilled craftsmanship to boost the vocational skills pool of the country.

Van der Walt and Rademan were among the top pupils and teachers from across the country who competed in the finals for two days from October 3-4, for the accolade of national winner in each category. As part of the top three in their respective categories, they have won prizes including apprenticeships worth R300,000 from the Artisan Training Institute and scholarships worth R20,000  from CAD4ALL and StemLAB, as well as robotics kits, tool sets, courses and vouchers with other prize sponsors including Modena and Old Mutual.

The pair were among hundreds who competed throughout August and September to demonstrate their skills in welding, woodwork, civil services, automotive, electronics, construction, electrical work and EGD, in hopes to reach the finals and win. Their efforts have secured the East London school community two silver medals and the reputation as the burgeoning home of artisanal and digital skills development.

Running for seven years in some provinces, the competition has the potential to develop the skills of more than 10,000 participating pupils and their teachers.

Sasol itself will also benefit from a skilled youth in its fence-line communities who can participate in shutdown processes and other technical community projects, thus further benefitting the communities in which it operates. Kagiso Trust, on the other hand will benefit for its many programmes that are advocating for access to in-demand skills that will bring impact to the youth and their communities.

This year’s national skill’s competition final coincided with the conclusion of World Skills Championships; a biennial competition that sees various countries compete.

It takes about five years to prepare the national team that participates in these global competitions, and thus the Sasol Foundation and Kagiso Trust National Skills competition contributes towards this preparation.

The SA team was sent off on August 30 to the World Skills Championships in Paris.

“We at Kagiso Trust recognise that addressing SA’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 such as these build a pipeline of skilled individuals who will drive innovation and growth, while tackling the issue of youth unemployment,” Kagiso Trust CEO Dr Mankodi Moitse said.

“An exciting trend which is escalating every year is the number of girl pupils 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 financial independent,” Sasol Foundation vice president for CSI Gao Mothoagae said.

“As a transformational pathfinder in education fuelling the growth of human potential in the fields of engineering, science and technology, Sasol bridges skills gap to foster adaptability in a transitioning world.

“Skills competitions not only raise professional standards but also raises awareness and introduces the potential of a skilled career to a much wider audience,” Mothoagae said.

Mothoagae added that for sustainable development to occur, there was an urgent need to pay attention to training highly skilled human resources to serve as key drivers of the economy.