Saab, the Swedish defence and IT giant, is helping the Tshwane South College for Further Education and Training (FET) transfer aerospace and automotive manufacturing technical training to three other colleges in the country.
The partnership, which combines South African FET methods with Swedish industrial school practices, has for the past five years produced skilled personnel for the hi-tech sector, the organisations said.
"Together with bursaries provided by Saab, the training programmes are particularly aimed at students from previously-disadvantaged backgrounds," the two entities said in a joint statement.
Central to the roll-out will be the creation of technical and teaching capacity at colleges in Limpopo, the Eastern and Western Cape for the training of technicians in the use of computer numeric controlled (CNC) machining equipment.
Saab said it has already sponsored modern equipment at the Tshwane South College in Centurion, and the partners will now set up similar facilities at colleges in Lephalale, East London and Cape Town.
Two lecturers from each of the colleges will be trained by Tshwane South College and thereafter receive advanced training and accreditation at Saab in Sweden.
"Longer term plans envisage the roll-out of this capacity to the other provinces as a contribution to overcoming SA`s skills shortage," the company said. Tshwane South College has to date produced 112 qualified CNC technicians for South African industry and the SA Air Force.
The Swedish investment forms part of Saab`s offset requirement in terms of a 1999 arms deal.
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