South Africa’s skills team faces a bigger test than medals
SHANGHAI — Twenty-nine young South Africans are competing against international peers in Shanghai this week, but their performance will also test whether the country has addressed weaknesses identified after its previous WorldSkills campaign.
Team South Africa is taking part in 27 categories at the WorldSkills International Competition, including mechatronics, aircraft maintenance, plumbing, refrigeration and water technology. The event runs until Sunday, 27 September. Results had not been announced when this article was prepared.
The competitors earned their places through regional events and South Africa’s national competition in March. For them, Shanghai offers a chance to measure their skills against international standards. For the Department of Higher Education and Training, it is also a chance to show what has changed since the 2024 competition in Lyon.
A parliamentary committee report recorded that South Africa had performed poorly in Lyon. The committee’s chair attributed the result partly to insufficient departmental support and inadequate mentorship for competitors. Deputy Minister Nomusa Dube-Ncube acknowledged the disappointing performance and said the department would strengthen preparations for Shanghai, including support for competitors’ wellbeing.
The committee also identified problems that reach beyond competition preparation: outdated or missing equipment, limited opportunities for students to train in workplaces and a gap between some college programmes and employers’ needs. Those findings make medals only one measure of success. The longer test is whether young people trained to an international standard can use those skills in South African jobs and businesses.
The National Skills Fund, a major funder of South Africa’s WorldSkills participation, has called on employers to create opportunities for competitors after they return. Its acting chief executive, Melissa Erra, said public investment in the team should translate into sustainable livelihoods. That challenge applies beyond these 29 competitors to the wider technical and vocational education system whose strengths and gaps they represent.
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