Setas descend on Alexandra

Sector education and training authorities (Seta) descended on Alexandra recently to raise the community’s awareness of their services.

Setas are statutory bodies which provide skills development support to enhance people’s chances of employment, and the recognition and integration of informal trades into mainstream economy. They do this through learnerships, internships and bursaries to technical, trade and tertiary institutions.

Their targets include the employed whose skills are not recognised, and school leavers who, annually, swell the ranks of the unemployed in s country already struggling to shed an unemployment rate of 38 percent among youths.

There are currently 21 Setas, and six of them – banking, transport, chemical, education and training, wholesale and retail, and fibre processing and manufacturing – were at Atrec sports complex to advise on how to access their services. They also displayed products made by some of their learners.

Although the turnout was low, those who attended engaged enthusiastically with officials, and completed various forms in the hope of accessing opportunities for skills training and jobs.

Two service providers in the fibre processing and manufacturing sector, MAK Weltemanagement and Howst Plus said Seta had assisted them to enhance their skills and they were now producing household furniture for retail outlets and also training others who, over time, could also create their own businesses.

Lindy Mkhize of this Seta said they conducted community outreach visits regularly, either per sector or collectively. “Sometimes we respond to specific requests like in the timber industry in Mpumalanga were we engage with workers. I encourage the public to make use of our services in large numbers as we are sponsored by public funding,” she urged.

Details: fpm 011 403 1700; www.fpmseta.org.za

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