The Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA) has welcomed a €2 million investment from the European Union (EU), awarded to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) as the lead applicant and EWSETA as the co-applicant, alongside consortium partners MMC and Frontier Rare Earths, to advance demand driven skills development linked to South Africa’s critical minerals and battery economy. As the skills authority EWSETA is well positioned to drive quality assured skills development interventions aligned to industry needs.
Parties gathered at the signing of the EU’s €2 million investment to advance skills development linked to South Africa’s critical minerals and battery economy.
The funding, awarded under the EU Global Gateway Opportunity Driven Skills and Vocational Education and Training programme, supports a national initiative aimed at aligning vocational training with employment opportunities across the mining, beneficiation, processing, and battery value chains. This skills development intervention forms part of the outcomes of the Clean Trade and Investment Partnership signed at the South Africa–European Union Leaders’ Summit on 20 November 2025, held ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.
As investment in critical minerals gathers pace in response to the global energy transition, South Africa’s ability to develop skilled, work-ready talent is becoming increasingly important to its industrial competitiveness. As well as infrastructure and capital investment, the Just Transition requires a coordinated skills system that can equip youth and communities with future-focused technical capabilities. This will open access to inclusive employment pathways and ensure that new green industries translate into sustainable economic participation.
“South Africa’s involvement in the critical minerals economy will be determined by skills,” said EWSETA Acting Chief Executive Officer, Robyn Vilakazi. “Investment alone does not create jobs unless the workforce is ready to meet industrial demand. EWSETA plays a central role in ensuring that this transition is inclusive, demand-led, and aligned to long-term workforce needs. Our partnership in this initiative ensures that training provided is embedded within the national skills system, quality assured, and aligned to credible occupational standards and sector priorities, and that industrial investment delivers measurable impact for industry, youth, and communities.”
The CSIR-led programme – Building a Capable Workforce for the Critical Minerals and Battery Economy in South Africa – responds to this challenge by starting with real employment demand and shaping training provision around it. The EWSETA will lead targeted initiatives focused on strengthening the capacity of TVET colleges in the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga, updating related curricula, supporting lecturer development, and expanding access to work-integrated learning linked to active industrial operations.
Through its sectoral oversight, labour market intelligence, and established industry partnerships, EWSETA provides the institutional authority required to align industrial investment with sustainable employment pathways and long-term workforce planning.
The initiative supports South Africa’s development and energy transition priorities and aligns with the EU Global Gateway’s focus on sustainable investment, skills development, and decent work. By strengthening the partnership between research, industry, and the national skills system, the programme strengthens the link between partnerships in investment, skills, and inclusive growth. It further reinforces South Africa’s ability to compete in global green value chains, advancing an inclusive and equitable Just Transition.
For more information visit: www.ewseta.org.za
