Projects

Ekurhuleni East College along with the Gauteng Department of Education ventured on a pilot project to train General Assistants. The aim of the project was for a learner to perform basic carpentry or plumbing maintenance focused on generic functions in a school setup under supervision.

The learners were relieved from their duties and reported for 15 working days at the Ekurhuleni East College - Kwa Thema Campus. Here, under the watchful eye of their facilitators, the learners were given practical and theoretical exposure to these fields of study. Both groups enjoyed the hands on training and were equipped with a tool box and protective clothing to ensure that they performed at their optimum.

The theoretical component gave them the background knowledge so that they could participate in any practical task with the knowledge and skill required. The carpentry learners were taken into a workshop and here they started with basic training but by the end of the 15 days, they were able to assemble their own small table. The plumbing learners successfully fixed taps and pipes on the Kwa Thema site.

At the end of the training, the learners had a certification ceremony. The training was very successful and all enjoyed it and would like to expand on the knowledge they had gained.

SMME Development at Ekurhuleni East College for FET has grown tremendously in the past few years. The college had the opportunity to become involved with the development of learning material and learner programmes in the SMME sphere. Valuable linkages were formed and nurtured with both industry and the community.

The College identified an urgent need to further assist SMMEs with services they cannot always attend to. These services relate to the financial and marketing parts of running a business. A Small Business Incubator proved to be the ideal solution for these SMMEs. The UMSOBOMVU Youth Fund funded the Small Business Incubator which is located at the Kwa-Thema campus. The incubator is a valuable resource centre where SMME related information is made available from books, magazines, newspapers, journals, articles and reports.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

The Ekurhuleni East College is currently in partnership with the Department of Communications to educate and train high calibre and globally competitive engineers in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This programme aims to empower people with relevant skills and knowledge within the ICT field. This programme is offered at the Springs Campus of the Ekurhuleni East College. 

A new partnership has been forged between the College, the Department of Education, the Department of Communications and ISETT SETA. This is a three year partnership during which ICT skills are being further nurtured by ensuring that the students get the best possible education. Students will also be exposed to broadcasting and the maintenance of radio broadcasting equipment through the Radio Amateur League.

Ekurhuleni East College exists to enhance and improve education, training and development in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan area by promoting learnerships, skills programmes (in terms of the Skills Development Act, Act No. 97 of 1998), community development learning programmes, entrepreneurship training and other technical and vocational learning programmes. It therefore exists to ensure government's mission, to create a better life for all, especially for unemployed youth.

Learnership qualifications currently offered:

• Fitting and Machining NQF Level 2
• Automotive Repair & Maintenance (Light vehicle) NQF Level 2
• Mechatronics NQF Level 2
• Panelbeating NQF Level 2
• Building Construction NQF Level 3
• Home Based Care NQF Level 2

We also have accreditation from the following SETA's:

• Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (MERSETA)
• Tourism, Hospitality & Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (THETA)
• Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA)
• Energy Sector Education and Training Authority (E-SETA)
• Wholesale & Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&R SETA)
• Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA)

Ekurhuleni East College is one of only 6 Colleges in the country that will be offering this pilot programme: a national, multi-stakeholder effort to halve poverty and unemployment by 2014.

This programme was developed to create a skills development initiative for tool, die and mould making, as part of Industry's turn-around strategy. Named and branded "TDM Powered," this initiative, implemented and driven by the National Tooling Initiative, the Tooling Association of South Africa and the Department of Trade & Industries, will kick off in 2010 with 25 students doing "TDM Powered" at Daveyton Campus.