Demand-driven programme provisioning at a public FET College in the Western Cape : case study of the West Coast FET College

Date
2013-03
Authors
Jooste-Mokgethi, Osma Thandiwe
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Democratic South African government inaugurated in 1994 identified the need for intermediate skills that are required to contribute to the growth of the economy and to reduce the high unemployment rate. Further Education and Training Colleges (FETC) were established after 1994 by merging the former 152 technical colleges into 50 FETCs. The function of these FETCs was to offer intermediate skills to the youth, women, and employed and unemployed South Africans. The South African government introduced a number of strategies, Acts and policies to support the colleges and to implement demand-driven intermediate skills programmes which would close the skills gap and improve the growth of the economy. These policies seek to ensure that skills offered at colleges are aligned to the needs of industry and to make sure that the college programmes will be in demand in the work place. The study presented is aimed at investigating this alignment by evaluating how apprentices in the final stage of their vocational training perform and meet the demands at their work places. A number of strategies used by different countries to support and develop their education systems are discussed. The discussion is directed at considering how vocational education ensures a positive contribution to skills development and what its impact is on the growth of the economy. This study provides a comprehensive policy and legislative framework which governs and supports the higher education institutions and the FETCs. The study was designed to determine whether welding apprentices from the College are, according to the work place staff and management and stakeholder bodies, appropriately equipped with vocational skills and knowledge to execute their duties at the work place. The evaluation and analysis of the data extracted from the responses of the interviews and questionnaires are presented and discussed. The results enabled the researcher to conclude that the evaluation of apprentice performance at the work place provides significant insight into the question of how vocational training and knowledge at the WCFETC meet the demands at the work place. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die demokratiese Suid-Afrikaanse Regering, wat in 1994 ingehuldig is, het die behoefte aan intermediêre vaardighede om die groei van die ekonomie en die van die hoë werkloosheidssyfer te verlig, geïdentifiseer. Verdere Onderwys en Opleiding Kolleges (VOOKS) is na 1994 totstand gebring deur die samesmelting van 152 voormalige Tegniese kolleges tot 50 VOOKS. Die funksie van die Verdere Onderwys en Opleiding Kolleges was om intermediêre vaardighede aan die jeug, vrouens en Suid-Afrikaners in diens of werkloos, te verskaf. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Regering het ´n aantal strategieë, wette en beleidsrigtings aangeneem om die kolleges te ondersteun en om die aanvraag-gedrewe intermediêre vaardigheidsprogramme te implementeer wat dan die vaardigheidsgaping sou vernou en die groei van die ekonomie sou bevorder. Hierdie beleidsrigting beoog om te verseker dat vaardighede wat by die Kolleges aangebied word, belyn is met die industrie as ook om te verseker dat die kollege programme benodig word in die werksplek. Die studie is gemik daarop om hierdie belyning te ondersoek en te evalueer hoe vakleerlinge in die laaste stadium van hulle ambagsopleiding vaar, en voldoen aan die eise van die werksplek. ´n Aantal strategieë wat deur verskillende lande gebruik word, om hulle eie opvoedingsstelsels te ontwikkel, word bespreek. Die bespreking verwys na hoe ambagsopvoeding ´n toevoeging tot vaardigheidsontwikkeling kan verseker en wat die impak daarvan op die groei van die ekonomie het. ´n Alomvattende beleid en ´n wetsraamwerk, wat Hoër OpvoedingsInstansies en die Verdere Onderwys en Opleiding Kolleges beheer en ondersteun, word verskaf. Die studie is ontwerp om te bepaal of die sweis vakleerlinge van die kollege, volgens die werksplek personeel en -bestuur en belanghebbende liggame, toepaslik toegerus en bevoeg is met ambagsvaardighede en kennis om die pligte van die werksplek uit te voer. Die evaluering en analise van die data, afgelei van die terugvoering van die onderhoude en vraelyste, word weergegee en voledig bespreek. Die resultate stel die navorser in staat om tot die gevolgtrekking te kom dat die evaluering van vakleerling-werksverrigting by die werksplek merkbare insig tot die vraag hoe ambagsopleiding en kennis by die Weskus VOOK aan die eise van die werksplek voldoen. Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings word aangebied.
Description
Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
Keywords
Welders (Persons) --Training of -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Further Education and Training Colleges, Apprenticeship programs -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Vocational education -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Adult education -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Dissertations -- Public management and planning, Theses -- Public management and planning
Citation