Yaskawa Southern Africa has announced a strategic collaboration with Sol-Tech, a private vocational training institution based in Pretoria, to strengthen technical education in industrial robotics.
At the heart of a new collaboration between Yaskawa Southern Africa and Sol-Tech is a shared commitment to bridging the gap between theoretical training and practical skills development. Yaskawa is providing its globally recognised industrial robots – accompanied by industry-relevant training materials and support from its dedicated Training Department – to enhance Sol-Tech’s engineering and mechatronics curriculum. The initiative forms part of Yaskawa’s broader investment in local skills development and reflects a long-term vision to empower the next generation of technical professionals.
“South Africa’s manufacturing landscape is undergoing a significant shift toward automation, and with that comes an urgent need to equip young professionals with real-world experience in robotics,” says Leon Coetzer, Training Officer at Yaskawa Southern Africa. “This synergy allows us to go beyond simply supplying equipment – we’re embedding practical learning, guided by industry standards, directly into the classroom.”
Sol-Tech has already integrated Yaskawa’s material into its training programme and established dedicated robotics facilities on its campus, offering students hands-on access to the latest technologies. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Students have become heavily engaged with the Yaskawa technology on campus,” says Raymond Meyer, Programme Head: Electrical at Sol-Tech. “The freedom our training model affords has encouraged vigorous practical interaction with the robots, which has sparked increased interest and enthusiasm in the field.”
Sol-Tech’s long-term vision is to position itself as a leader in future-ready, industry-aligned technical training. According to Meyer, partnering with Yaskawa Southern Africa has created “one of those rare opportunities” to elevate their offering: “We continually strive to review our training standards to remain relevant in an ever-changing technological environment. Robotics is a field that demands our attention, and this collaboration helps ensure our students are equipped for the automation-driven world of work.”
The collaboration also signals potential for broader impact. As the demand for certified mechatronics technicians grows, both institutions see scope to scale through national skills initiatives and alignment with international education benchmarks.
