Why work integrated learning prepares your business for a better future

One of the world’s greatest leaders and philanthropists, and a man who was affectionately known as the patriarch of our nation, former president Nelson Mandela was a staunch advocate for the inclusion of every individual and entity in the support and development of education in our country.

He was quoted as saying, “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, and that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”

Mandela and his successors worked tirelessly to strengthen business involvement through education and partnership with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and Nelson Mandela Institute of Education and Rural Development. This is further echoed in his words: “The power of education extends beyond the development of skills we need for economic success. It can contribute to nation-building and reconciliation.”

He envisioned that all businesses, nationally, should realise their social responsibility and form part of upskilling and empowering the current and future workforce, irrespective of the levels as blue-collar workers or leaders. Industry partners will also benefit through this initiative, to allow the businesses to increase their profit margins and be recognised as a social contributor.

How do we do it?

So, how do business owners, big or small, ensure they support education from a social consciousness perspective, help to build a nation and, most importantly, build their business?

Sure, there are tax relief initiatives for those with better BBBEE ratings and donations to educational institutions, but what about your future workforce? How will you ensure the youth of today will be a good fit for the culture of your organisation and be specifically trained and skilled to take their place in your business upon graduation from their tertiary institution?

The answer lies in partnering with institutions that have work integrated learning (WIL) programmes and developing your future workforce through internships in your business. One such training institution that fits the bill is False Bay Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College, which is mandated by the Department of Higher Education & Training to assist students in seeking workplaces to gain relevant working experience.

According to the institution’s expert and leader in this field, Monica Lekay: “The WIL department engages with industry to establish partnerships for internships and workplace-based learning opportunities for students and graduates.”

We asked Lekay what she believed the primary benefits to business to be when partnering with the college’s WIL programme, and these were her salient points:

To establish a co-operative working relationship

The college believes that once you partner with the institution, the understanding of your specific business needs will mean the increased development of the right interns for your business. It further bridges the gap and aligns educational institutions with commerce and industry.

The opportunity to evaluate and retain interns for workforce pipeline

It is about building a pipeline and increasing the pool of qualifying candidates for future employment purposes. This affects the company’s bottom line too, because it increases turnover due to increased productivity from appropriately skilled workers.

Save on recruitment costs

It takes time, money and the hiring of recruitment specialists to procure the workforce you need. The workplace exposure of 18 months allows the employer to recruit directly from the intern database; continuation of work cycle and process, without any interruptions or delays.

Participate in preparing future industry professionals

By supporting and grooming interns, you promote economic transformation and enable candidates to have meaningful participation in the economy.

The usual business incentives

As aforementioned, this initiative can increase your BBBEE rating and allow you to apply for discretionary grant funding to benefit from tax incentives. Your return on investment, even in the short term, can be substantial.

Never forget our obligation to our youth

Having established that the benefits to any business are great, we should never forget to uphold the legacy for which Mandela fought so hard, which is one of humanity and nation-building. Lekay believes the essence of the work the college does is not just one of educating but of enhancing the lives of the beneficiaries and affected communities.

In her words, the WIL initiatives create “greater job prospects, improved income, better health and learners and interns who are far less likely to live in poverty”. These benefits, contributing to the economically active population, have a snowball effect, “extending to families, communities and the nation. The country will also benefit from the addition of new jobs, increased tax revenues, spending, investments – and lower healthcare costs that accompany a more educated population.”

When one considers the satisfaction of collaboration with an institute of this calibre and the chance to build your business through a highly skilled future workforce, partnering with the college and its WIL programme is a no-brainer!

FBC welcomes your participation

Since it opened its doors in 2002, False Bay TVET College has worked tirelessly to become a leader in WIL within the TVET sector. The college is also an educational institution that offers practical vocational training programmes and technical skills development to equip students with the knowledge and skills required for specific trades and professions.

It focuses on providing hands-on and practical skills training legacy qualifications and occupational directed qualifications in the engineering fields such as Fitters and Turners, Mechanical Fitting, Electrical Engineering, Boilermakers, Welders, Spray Painting, Motor Mechanics, Yacht and Boatbuilding and Rigging. Further to this, the college offers business-related programmes, Hospitality, Tourism, Information Technology, Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning, Trade Testing and more.

The institution’s primary objectives are to provide access and effective services to students through a variety of delivery modes, to develop partnerships and maintain good stakeholder relations to increase the number of adequately prepared students to enter the labour market, further and higher learning opportunities, and pursuing entrepreneurship development opportunities.

We trust that with the support and assistance of the WIL department and team at False Bay TVET College, we will prepare your business for a better future. We are awaiting your appointment to discuss how we could turn your workplace into a training space. Together, we can begin to build a better future for your business – and all South Africans!