Higher Education encourages youth to take up artisan careers

Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology and Deputy Minister, Thembi Siweya in the Presidency ZA, attended the Heritage careers expo arts Day hosted by the Departments at the University of Mpumalanga. As the country continues to face economic challenges and a high unemployment rate, young people are encouraged to contemplate becoming artisans.

This follows a heritage career expo held at the University of Mpumalanga which was organised by the Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation together with SETAs such as the Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority.
Unemployment remains a big challenge in the country as government now tries to encourage young people to consider careers that will enable them to work with their hands.

About 300 learners and 120 Life Orientation (LO) and Visual Arts educators were invited to attend the heritage career expo.

Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology Buti Manamela says they are targeting mainly young people from previously disadvantaged communities. He adds that the intention is to expose learners to careers which are available in the arts, dance and music, just as they had encouraged them to venture into the food and fashion industries. He says youth should not regard these careers as side hustles, but as real jobs.

“You can go into the university or university of technology, TVET College and study these careers. So the intention is to expose them to what post education and training institutions can provide as it relates to these careers. But also, for them to speak to practitioners who are already active in those careers- to say to them that your dreams are valid,” Manamela explains.

Heritage career expo 2022 @UniMpumalanga hosted by @HigherEduGovZA #Career #heritage pic.twitter.com/XXwYZvRG46

— Gcis_mpumalangaProvince (@GCISMpumalanga) July 26, 2022