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GEORGE NEWS - The South Cape College (SCC) plans to establish a new centre of specialisation in George where training in a number of new trades will be added to its course offering.
College principal Dr Tercia Terblanche made the announcement on Saturday 5 August during the SCC's annual diploma and award ceremony held at the George Civic Centre.
She said this new centre will offer courses in hairdressing, hospitality (chef training), and cosmetology and beauty, and will include a wholesale and retail assessment centre, a student entrepreneurship centre as well as additional modernised theory classrooms.
Funding for new infrastructure is already secured from the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&R Seta).
SCC will also be starting up three additional centres of specialisation at the Mossel Bay campus by the end of 2024, namely an electrical, a boiler-making and an automotive centre. According to Terblanche, funding has been awarded by the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Seta (merSeta) for equipment to upgrade three existing workshops.
She said these moves are in line with SCC's vision to increase access to occupationally directed courses in critical and high-demand areas, and make intermediate to high-level skills, with a specific focus on artisan skills, more available.
PHOTO GALLERY: New centre of specialisation for South Cape College
Introducing renewable energy training facilities in the spheres of solar, hydrogen, wind, and robotics and mechatronics also forms part of its focus for the next 3 to 5 years.
The college furthermore aims to transition from traditional face-to-face instruction to include online, blended and distance learning. Strategies are being considered to include programmes focused on opportunities offered by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
Award-winning college
Terblanche said SCC's industry partnerships will continue to expand to support work-integrated learning to increase student employability and help with the development of critical skills.
Student entrepreneurship development opportunities will also be increased with the support of industry partners to enable students to pursue self-employment opportunities and become job creators rather than job seekers.
In 2022, the college won the gold award for best college out of 50 TVET colleges in South Africa for strategic industry partnerships in placing students at work in the industry.
SCC has built partnerships with more than 200 companies and government departments, which place students for work and workplace experience.
Pass rates
During 2022, the college achieved a student subject pass rate of 89,75% in the National Certificate (Vocational) Level 2 - 4. A total of 179 distinctions in the National Certificate vocational courses was achieved and 575 subject distinctions in the Report 191 N1 - N6 (National Diploma) courses.
There were 53 A-aggregate students.
SCC principal Dr Tercia Terblanche with the keynote speaker at the diploma ceremony, Nandipa September, a former SCC George Campus student who has published a book journalling her journey from being a loner and school dropout to having more than one qualification behind her name.
Overcoming obstacles to achieve
The keynote speaker at the ceremony, former George campus student Nandipa September, encouraged the students with her story of overcoming obstacles and fears in search of a meaningful and joyful life.
She was a school dropout and loner, but after enrolling at the SCC George Campus, her life changed for the better and she embarked on a path that would take her to heights she did not think possible.
She obtained diplomas in marketing from SCC, and went on to obtain a national marketing diploma from Nelson Mandela University (NMU) where she also served in different student leadership positions. She is now acquiring a B Comm in Corporate Communications. September has also authored a book, Notes from within: Diary of a misfit, in which she relates her life experiences.
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