The North West Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) whose primary objective is to leverage the province’s skills base as a means of promoting socioeconomic development, specifically to combat unemployment and poverty in the region, has been relaunched.
North West Premier Kagiso Lazarus Mokgosi recently relaunched the council at the Mankwe Campus of Orbit TVET College in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality.
The council also forms part of the reconceptualised national HRDC strategy and Master Skills Plan to align the country’s education and training systems with labour market demands.
Advisory and coordination platform
The council, chaired by Mokgosi, will serve as a multi-sectoral advisory and coordination platform.
It will bring together various stakeholders, including government departments, municipalities, higher education and training institutions, Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas), organised labour and business representatives, as well as civil society and community members.
The Premier said the council will also serve as both a strategic and catalytic platform that will accelerate human capital development in the province.
“Of critical importance is to commit to skills development as part of the province’s continued endeavours to empower young people, grow the economy and create jobs,” said the Premier.
Economic potential
He added that although the province has abundant natural resources, low skill levels hinder its ability to fully realise its economic potential.
“We have recently adopted the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy, which has identified key economic drivers such as mining, agriculture and agro-processing, tourism, renewable energy and green economy, and infrastructure development as our key economic drivers.
“However, none of these sectors can grow without the right skills base. The HRDC will therefore serve as the engine that drives skills planning, coordination, and implementation to support these sectors.”
Skills development areas
The council, which among others will be tasked with strengthening artisan development and technical skills training, expanding workplace-based learning, internships and learnerships, as well as empowering youth, women, and people with disabilities through targeted programmes.
The council will consist of members from the Executive Council and District Executive Mayors, along with the Economic and Investment Advisory Committee, which will be led by Professor John Lamola and Professor Raymond Parsons.
Representatives from institutions of higher learning will be included under the leadership of Professor Bismark Tyobeka and Dr Pradheep Balkrishen.
In addition, organised labour, business, and civil society will be represented by Kabelo Kgoro, Benedict Modise, and Dieketseng Diale, respectively.
Mokgosi has urged council members to lead with integrity, transparency and urgency and ensure that skills development budgets are better spent and better targeted.
