Information for school leavers: TVET COLLEGES

Posted on freerecruit.co.za

Overview

TVET is an abbreviation for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Technical and Vocational Education and Training courses are vocational or occupational by nature meaning that the student receives education and training with a view towards a specific range of jobs, employment or entrepreneurial possibilities

There are fifty registered and accredited public TVET Colleges in South Africa which operate on around 364 campuses spread across the rural and urban areas of the country. Public TVET Colleges are established and operated under the authority of the Continuing Education and Training Act 16 of 2006 and resort under the Department of Higher Education and Training.

Public TVET Colleges are subsidised by the state with approximately R8 billion per year. Each region has a DHET regional office that provides specialised professional support to the public TVET Colleges in provinces. DHET Regional Offices should not be confused with District Offices in provinces. District Offices oversee school education for the Department of Basic Education.

What types of courses do TVET Colleges offer?

Public TVET Colleges offer a very wide range of courses/programs that have been developed to respond to the scarce skills needed by employers.  Courses vary in duration from a short course of a few hours to formal diploma courses of three years.  The costs of the courses do vary considerably. The Department of Higher Education and Training courses are subsidised by 80% of the delivery cost and for the remaining 20% that would be paid by the student, but bursaries are also available.

Industry Fields

TVET Colleges offer various types of courses in industries like:

• Agriculture.
• Arts and culture.
• Business, commerce, and management.
• Education, training and development.
• Engineering, manufacturing and technology services.
• Building construction.
• Security.

Types of courses: 

Below is not a list of the courses available but only a description of the different categories of courses and qualifications. For a list of courses, qualifications and at which campuses and colleges they are offered, go to this page. You could also visit the college websites for courses and qualifications on offer. You will find a list of the college and links to their websites further down this page.

* Please contact your nearest public TVET College for further details

Below are some examples of the types of courses TVET Colleges offer are:

• Human Resources Management
• Financial Management
• IT & Computer Science
• Mechatronics
• Tourism
• Electrical Infrastructure Construction
• Civil Engineering & Building Construction
• Engineering & Related Design
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Office Administration
• Management Assistant
• Marketing

This will give you a good idea of the various courses typically on offer in public TVET Colleges. For more information visit the college websites to find out what courses and qualifications they offer.

College websites can be found below.

How to choose which course is the right one for you:

• Choose a course that has different career options and more opportunities.
• Is there a demand for your chosen field?
• Try to obtain exposure to your chosen field e.g.work during school holidays or volunteer.
• Always have a second option (you can always consider specialising in different areas).
• Make sure that you have enough information before choosing.
• In order to make a successful decision, you need to know about your skills, interest and values.
  • Options may be limited if you do not have certain subjects like Mathematics and Physical Science.
  • Research the education requirements for the course and make sure you meet the entry requirements.
  • Make sure that your chosen field suits your personal attributes. for example, if you prefer to be working in an office environment, then pursuing a career as a civil engineer will probably not be ideal.
• Ask around for people who may know someone who works in that field that can counsel you.
• Research the careers, which are available to people with your interests and skills.
• Research companies that employ people who have completed the qualification/s you are interested in.
• Make efforts to visit companies you may be interested in working for to find out what opportunities they may have for you once you have completed your studies.

TVET College Administration

Public TVET Colleges resort under the Department of Higher Education and Training and its Regional Offices.

TVET College Contact Details: