The new state-of-the-art training facility was opened at the uMfolozi TVET college at Esikhawini Campus in October 2017. The Construction Centre of Excellence is a result of hard work within the partnership project between the college and the Kreishandwerkerschaft and will host 90 apprentices in the trades of plumbing, carpentry and bricklaying. The center focuses on improving relationships with participating industries to ensure greater practice-orientation of training courses. It aims to reduce the current discrepancy between the standard of training and the labour market requirements, which will improve the employability of graduates. The involved lecturers have been training in new teaching methodologies, locally and in Germany.
The opening of the new center has been a milestone in the partnership project between the uMfolozi College and the Kreishandwerkerschaft. Mr. Frank Tischner (CEO Kreishandwerkerschaft), who joined the opening ceremony together with Karin Münstermann (Head of International Projects) and Oliver Petzoldt (Long-term Expert), used his speech to make clear that it is not about bringing the German education system just as it is to South Africa, but to use the chances of the dual system for the economy and the youth with view on their chances on the employment market.
Many representatives of politics and the local economy of the region KwaZulu Natal joined the ceremony as well as representatives of ministries both from Germany and South Africa, where the funding for the new center came from.
Also many employers used the chance to visit the new facilities. Their interest is of great importance to the overall success of the partnership project, as they need to be motivated to take part in vocational education and training in the future.
