The collaboration of the Department of Higher Education and Training, eThekwini Municipality, Samsung and Coastal KZN TVET College resulted in the launch of the Samsung Engineering Academy yesterday, 28 June, in KwaMashu.
This collective effort seeks to empower youth with technical skills in electronics, refrigeration, engineering and technology to bridge the scarce skills gap in eThekwini Municipal area.
The Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mduduzi Manana said that equipping and empowering young people with skills will contribute to the economic development of the youth.
“We are all aware that we have a critical shortage of technical skills. We are intending to provide integrated human capital development and interventions through partnership, thereby enabling a culture of lifelong learning,” said Manana.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Sihle Zikalala, emphasised the importance of the academy in encouraging a culture of business owners rather than job seekers.
“Institutions such as these can only strengthen our competiveness in the business arena and we as leaders and parents can rest assured that our country will be left in the capable hands of a competent young generation of creators of employment,” said Zikalala.
The Centre will start with training 40 unemployed youth that will be able to repair refrigerators, air conditioners, Samsung cellphones, fridges and microwaves on completion of their qualification.
Nkululeko Sibiya who is a graduate of the institution, and a great success story, is a shining example of what good public and private partnership can produce. He stressed the importance of focusing on the field of mathematics and science as it is these fields where an individual can truly be measured.
Sibiya urged all youth to shrug off the fear of mathematics and science as this is a field which contributes to you making a meaningful contribution to our City and country as a whole.
