The secretariat for the Human Resource Development Council has expressed satisfaction that the North West is on course to meet its human resource and skills needs in both the public and private sectors.

Head of the secretariat, Brenda Ntombela, said that province was doing well in artisan development – including the production of academics, learnerships and other scarce skills and worker development goals.

Ntombela said this after meeting with the provincial coordinating forum in Mahikeng on Friday.

“The council set out a five-point plan setting out the production of professionals including artisan and technician development and the

alignment of the provincial resource development strategy to the New Growth Path, technical vocational education and training colleges, production of academics and industry/university partnerships, worker education and foundational learning.

“North West has recorded progress in all these, particularly in artisan development and bursary schemes for scarce skills development,” Ntombela said.

She added that the council sought to align skills development with the ideals captured in the National Development Plan.

She said the secretariat was working closely with the Ministry of Higher Education and Training to realise the decade-long artisan development theme: “it’s cool to be a 21st century artisan.”

Director of Human resources utilisation and capacity development in the office of the premier Tselane Letseli said that the province had awarded certificates to 141 artisans in 2013 and was targeting to produce more than 500 artisans during the course of this year.
For more http://www.thenewage.co.za