The Public Works Department has invested R32-million in the development of essential skills for young people, particularly in the built environment sector.

A hundred learners from the Northern Cape attended their first day of the Northern Cape Artisan Development Programme at the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa) on Monday. More youths from other provinces would be recruited in future intakes.

Public Works Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu said that the 18-month Artisan Development Programme would provide learners with an opportunity to earn an income while acquiring technical skills that would improve their chances of employment, entrepreneurship and overall development.
The programme would focus on boilermaking, fitting and turning, mechanical, electrical and welding.

The learners would undergo six months of theoretical training and then proceed to experiential learning for a minimum of 12 months.

A series of additional learnerships was planned to complete the four-year artisan development programme, depending on availability of funds.

In line with the publicly stated view of the Minister and the Department to resuscitate the technical workshops within the Department, Bogopane-Zulu further committed the department to ensuring that the youth would be provided with jobs upon completion of the programme.

Necsa and the Public Works Department would each be responsible for identifying at least 50 work placements for experiential learning opportunities.

This skills development programme included accommodation and meals for 100 learners, while the National Skills Fund would cover all training-related costs. Other costs would be covered by the department, such as logistical costs for learners screening and selection sessions, orientation material and transport costs during assessments.