A Cape Town event that links learning to the world of work will take place for the third time early next month.
The annual Learning Cape Festival (LCF) is the brainchild of the Western Cape’s department of economic development and tourism (DEDT), but much of its success lies in its involvement of other key players — other government departments, as well as civil society and labour organisations, and the business community.
Desi Angelis, the DEDT’s workforce development head, says ‘the aim is to enhance educational and learning choices. We do this by providing access to and information on training and flexible career opportunities for greater access to employment and global citizenship.”
Grade 9 and 12 learners are the festival’s main audience, and about 200 principals also take part. To make sure that the more rural areas — such as George and Worcester — are not excluded, mobile exhibitions will be taking the festival to them.
Angelis says Further Education and Training colleges are also a key part of the DEDT’s bigger plan because of the vocational courses they offer.
The three day long festival combines ‘a learning fair and career expo” offering a wide range of information, entertainment, products and services. Youngsters should come away with a keen awareness of the growth industries in the Western Cape — industries that will be able to absorb these learners after school.
Angelis says that these growth areas include agriculture and fishing; aqua-culture; metalwork and engineering.