​Thembisa Shologu
The Gauteng Department of Education recently hosted a successful Technical Skills Mini-Festival at Katlehong Engineering School of Specialisation in Ekurhuleni. The event highlighted general and technical skills, focusing on skills gained through the department's Multi-Certification Skills Programme.
The learner-focused programme ensures that every learner in the province acquires at least one accredited skill per academic year, from Grade R to Grade 12. This means learners could attain between one and thirteen skills certifications by completing their schooling.
The learner-focused skills programme ensures that every learner in the province acquires at least one accredited skill per academic year from Grade R to Grade 12. 
This means learners would have attained at least 1 to 13 skills certifications upon exiting the schooling system. 
Speaking at the school on Thursday, MEC Matome Chiloane said that the programme would equip learners with skills that will allow them to compete in the world. 
"The minute you exit these gates after grade 12, you enter the world. You will compete with China, Canada, the USA, the UK, and all because of the globalised world you are living in. 
"In Gauteng, we are equipping our learners with skills that enable them to compete globally. This is why our schools are in high demand," said MECChiloane.
Chiloane said he was confident that the learners would be able to illustrate wherever they go that they could compete or even do better than others. 
He said this would also reduce the belief that South Africa needed more skills.
"You can see that these learners understand that they are going into a space where if a child is in Germany learning the same skill and also to begin to play in that space, they have to be at that level; in fact, they must be better than them.
"We are preparing our children at that level, and this is what we expect from them because there'll always be a complaint that South Africa doesn't have skills to support the vision we want, but it is not true. We saw a need in Gauteng that if we are going to convert this province to be what it should be, we need the skills to support industry development that is going to take place," the MEC explained. 
Neo Radebe, a Grade 11 learner at Katlehong Engineering School of Specialisation, shared how the programme helped shape her future career path.
Neo said the benefit of being in the SoS and the multi-certification programme was that it trained learners to be innovative enough to be resilient.
"Before doing mechanical technology and attending Katlehong Engineering School of Specialisation, I wanted to become a pilot, but I thought, how can I be fascinated by flying something I cannot make? My dreams changed, and this school answered my dreams, as I wanted to become an aerospace engineer. 
"The other great idea about SoS and their multi-certification programme is that it trains us to be innovative enough to start our businesses with an Afrocentric ethos and train others to be resilient to the system that impoverished our forefathers which still to date dominates the mainstream of our economy, country and our African continent."
The learner said that throughout the training, she gained different skills and became familiar with workplace requirements such as punctuality, teamwork, and the value of developing work ethics, which was only possible with hard work. 
"The idea of SoS is like a mother nurturing our country, which is impoverished regarding skills and knowledge. 
"It is a size fits; I mean, if we go to university, we will not have to be trained from scratch and after four years, which is equivalent to a degree, we will have requisite knowledge, skills, work experience and a little bit of money," she joked.
Learners from different schools attended the festival, showcasing their skills in projects and other fields.