The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) unveiled the CHIETA SMART Skills Centre in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape, as the first to realize the new goal.
The purpose of the R3 million centre, which was inaugurated on Tuesday, 25 October 2022, is to bridge the digital skills gap and expedite the development of basic digital skills for the workplace of the future.
Dr. Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, has articulated a vision for the establishment of SMART Skills Centres in every region of the country by 2020.
The Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) stated, “The SMART Skills Centres were intended to herald in a new era of skills development and training that would be based in rural regions and offer digitized training programs for rural masses.”
According to CHIETA, the launch followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (SBIDZ) Licensing Company less than a year ago.
The initiative is the result of a collaboration with CHIETA, the Industrial Development Zone (IDZ), the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA), and the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA).
The authorities stated that the CHIETA SMART Skills Centre is one of nine SMART centres that will be established around the country.
Small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) who aspire to expand their operations are eligible for free access to data and training courses provided by the centre.
The training facility is fully automated and furnished with equipment that meets the standards of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
Nzimande stated that CHIETA and the Freeport Saldanha Industrial Development Zone recognized the need to promote digital preparedness through technology-enabled learning programmes, such as virtual and augmented reality, robotics, and the internet of things, among others.
“I commend the creative leadership of CHIETA for thinking of this center and putting it in the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone.”
He stated that the hub would boost the number of sustainable firms and available skills, hence fostering economic expansion in Saldanha Bay.
The CEO of CHIETA, Yershen Pillay, has called the CHIETA Smart Skills Centre as a game-changer in terms of training and skills development.
“Rural communities will now have access to free data and Wi-Fi services, as well as training in fundamental digital skills and 4IR, ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital skills revolution.”
He feels that the centre’s accessibility to remote communities and virtual reality or virtual reality-based training for craftsmen distinguishes it from others.
Pillay stated that the centre will feature a digital boardroom where SMMEs and cooperatives can meet with prospective customers.
The center will also include training in 5G cellular networking, data analytics, technopreneurship, Java programming, and cyber security.
In addition, CHIETA has committed to enrolling 50,000 students in its center’s digital skills programs by March 2025.
This will ensure that individuals have the skills essential to flourish in the workplace.
According to Trevor Rammitlwa, CEO of NEMISA, the organization offers over 3,000 online courses and will also provide training facilitators for in-person classes.
Kaashifah Beukes, CEO of Freeport Saldanha IDZ, stated, “The centre is a model for the pursuit of excellence in tech education, research and development towards high-quality solutions, and the creation of businesses that find opportunities to drive innovation as part of Saldanha Bay’s socioeconomic development.”