Alexandra-based Central Johannesburg College signed a memorandum of agreement with the British Council in Dunkeld on 4 August as part of their new partnership.
The two institutions will work together in the automotive sector with a special focus on manufacturing and engineering as well as other related services. The partnership is earmarked to open opportunities for the students to advance their theory into practice and even enable them to work directly with employers in the industry.
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According to officials, the Alex college will also have exchange programmes with New College Lanarkshire in Glasgow, Scotland.
Rumbidzai Mapani, a project manager at the British Council, said the programme will be facilitated by the council. Mapani said they will also assist the local college with financial support to help upscale their courses.
She said they will provide the college with £13 000 (about R224 000) over a period of a year to support their automotive programmes.
“Through this partnership we will assist the college with skills for employability programmes. We will have international skills programmes, leaders exchange programmes as well as policy level engagements with them,” said Mapani.
This is about learning good practices between the colleges – Lanarkshire and Central Johannesburg College in Alex, she said.
Gladwin Matsila, a campus manager at CJC in Alex, defined this partnership as a benchmark. Matsila said they hope this partnership will open more doors for their students.
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“This partnership is definitely an advantage for us to be known as the role players in the artisan development space. We are happy about this partnership because we will be working with experts and it will help improve our current status,” he said.
The British Council is currently working with 21 TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) colleges across the country and Mapani said they want to work with all 50 TVETs in the country.
Details: matsilag@cjc.edu.za
