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For the 6th time since 1993 World Skills South Africa’s ‘Proudly South African Team’ ably represented South Africa at the 38th World Skills International Competition from the 25th May through to 1st June 2005. Once again although a medal was not to be, we were able to bring back a “Best of Nations” award from the trade of Automobile Technology for which Rihan Serfontein is to be congratulated. Our own Michelle Groenewald tied first place in the section “long-hair fashion design”. Her work was amazing.
As iterated by Dennis George in his summary report in the Fedusa publication “Debate” and who attended the competitions with the financial compliments of SSETA, because Dennis’ statement is so important. I repeat this again from my editorial comment that unless we harness our skills development and qualifications in the vocational trades and services and if we fail to deliver skills development and qualifications in these disciplines, we will be damaging the sustainability of South Africa’s economy. No economy can deliver without skilled people. It has been reported recently in the media that South Africa needs to import skills from overseas even though we have thousands of workers unemployed and waiting to be trained. Dennis George is a member of the NSA and Chairman of the National Board for Further Education and Training. He has assured World Skills South Africa of Fedusa and the National Board for Further Education and Training’s support to promote a Skills Respect Culture in South Africa.
On behalf of the Hairdressing Industry the SSETA’s CEO – Ivor Blumenthal has always believed in and promoted the vision of World Skills S.A. – financially sustaining both the South African team to St. Gallen in 2003 and now Helsinki 2005. He berated the fact that South Africa was the only member at the International World Skills Competition not to have a Government Delegation in attendance. One of the proposals that Mr. Blumenthal made during his participation as the Official S.A. Delegate in the Strategy Sub-Committee and General Assembly meetings, was for the creation of an Alumni section of World Skills which would be charged with organizing components of the Trades. For South Africa, this will mean the gathering of past competitors and winners, to enable them to carry the flag for World Skills South Africa, and therefore, we hope transform the organisation from within.
In general World Skills South Africa, through facilitating the Local, Regional and National Competitions promotes and raises the awareness of a Skills Respect Culture which in turn by competing at world level raises the level and standard of the vocational skills of our young Artisans.
The next International World Skills Competition is in Shizuoka, Japan, in 2007 and we urgently need, before South Africa proceeds towards the process of sending another team, Government “buy-in” which is currently enjoyed by most of the other competing countries.
Diane S. Clutton
President World Skills South Africa
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