Fact-Finding-Mission: Mechatronics training in South Africa

What are the requirements for a vocational training partnership between Germany and South Africa? In July 2019, Volker Falch, Head of International Department and Marleen Winter, Project Manager International, travelled to the Gauteng region to answer this question. They were accompanied by a sequa employee and an independent consultant.

During the trip, the group visited TVET colleges, state institutions and private companies in the Gauteng region. They got an impression of the current school and training system in South Africa and gained insights into the training centres and training workshops of the schools and companies.

The focus was on the dual vocational training in mechatronics, which was accredited in October 2018. It is to start in January 2020 with the first year of training. During the trip, the young people were visited who were already "pre-selected" by the companies for the program this summer. In a short measure financed by the BMZ and administered by sequa, the young people are currently being taught the necessary skills by trainers from the bbw Group. This enables them to start training as mechatronics engineers in January 2020.

The project was initiated by AHK South Africa. The bbw is to provide technical support for the implementation of the training. For this purpose, the bbw will support the state TVET colleges through knowledge transfer, capacity building and consulting.

Professional Education Partnerships (BBP) are support programs of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Their aims are to combat poverty by promoting sustainable economic development in the partner countries.