The South African Mining Development Association (Samda) has identified key areas where it says skills development should be fast-tracked.

In association with the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa), Samda is fast-tracking skills development in management and planning processes, engineering, urban and rural planning, secondary education and the training of artisans.

“The most important area is the engi- neering sector. Currently, South Africa is producing 1 500 engineering graduates a year, with only half these registering with the Engineering Council of South Africa,” says Samda CEO Mirriam Ramoraswi, adding that this must be increased to at least 2 500 engineers.

This programme started in 2007 and it is predicted that, by 2010, the number of engineers graduating from tertiary educa- tion institutions will have increased by 2 000 a year. Over R439-million was invested during 2007/8 in improving the learning infrastructure the students are currently accessing.

She adds that government also feels that it is necessary to reintroduce retired engineers into the market.

“With regard to artisan training, Jipsa has a target of training 50 000 artisans by 2010 in 16 preidentified trades. Taking apprenticeships into account, it is expected that 12 000 of these artisans will take trade tests by 2010, while the remainder will take the same tests in 2011,” says Ramoraswi.

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