THE MANUFACTURING
and the supporting tool, die and mouldmaking industries struggle
with serious skills shortages.
Addressing the annual generalmeetingof theToolmakingAssociationof SouthAfrica (TASA) Gauteng
in Midrand, the outgoing Chairperson, Mr Ron MacLarty said that 213 apprentices were currently
being trained as part of the TDM Powered Foundation Phase and Apprenticeship Programmes.
“Through the efforts of the National Tooling Initiative Programme (NTIP), a wholly owned
TASA company, an additional 332 apprentices started training in April 2013. This will bring
the total number of apprentices in class in Gauteng in 2013 to 545 and nationally to over
1200. Direct funding expended on the TDM Powered Skills Development Programme to date
is R110-million,” he adds.
“All TDM Powered apprentices were placed with companies for ‘On the Job’ training in 2012, and
feedback from the companies has been very positive. By all accounts, the apprentices are, on the
whole, high potential candidates. The year on year retention rate is in excess of 80%, which is well
above the international standard.”
At the same meeting, the National Chairperson of the Toolmaking Association of South Africa,
Mr Bob Williamson, said that more than 6000 jobs in the local manufacturing and tool die
and mouldmaking industries were currently unfilled owing to a lack of skills. He said that
quality training was crucial to fill these posts as a single toolmaker could create up to 28
sustainable downstream jobs. He welcomed the Masters Artisan phase to be introduced as
the next phase of the TDM Powered Programme.
The South African manufacturing
sector will receive a huge boost
from July 2014 when more
than 500 toolmakers, with
an internationally accredited,
government certified toolmaking
qualification, become
available to the sector.
Outgoing Chairperson of TASA Gauteng,
Ron
MacLarty
congratulates the new Chairperson,
Phil Sipengane
. At the back is the National
Chairperson of TASA,
Bob Williamson
.
Huge boost for the South
African manufacturing sector
