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Youth Urged To Study Critical Qualifications

The Gauteng government is encouraging Grade 9 learners to select subjects that will lead them to careers in the automotive and manufacturing industries. The AIDC Careers Day was held on Friday 9 March in Pretoria, where My SA Career Guide 2012 was also launched.
The AIDC is a subsidiary of Blue IQ Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd, which is an agency of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development. Gauteng MEC for Economic Development Qedani Mahlangu addressed learners from five schools participating in the pilot project. “The automotive and manufacturing sector is a large contributor to Gauteng’s economy. As more learners pursue careers in the automotive and manufacturing industries, Gauteng’s economic development potential increases exponentially,” she said.
Amanda Nair, Blue IQ CEO, said that learners who were empowered with information about potential careers could make informed choices. “These Grade 9 learners need to select their subjects for Grade 10 and this subject selection has a bearing on the fields of study they wish to pursue,” she said.
The AIDC’s Talent Pipeline project provides career guidance to children from previously disadvantaged schools with a view to addressing the skills shortage in the manufacturing and engineering fields. The Career Day provided Grade 9 learners with information on automotive career choices at a time when they need to select their subjects for Grade 10.
A collaborative initiative between the AIDC and My SA Career Guide, the pilot project involves five Tshwane based schools: Ngaka Maseko High School, Laudium Secondary School, Eersterust Secondary School, HL Setlalentoa Secondary school and Vukani Mawethu Secondary School.
Barlow Manilal, AIDC CEO, said that the AIDC is actively assisting learners through its various programmes. The AIDC ESDA, which assists unemployed learners to obtain qualifications and skills required by the automotive and manufacturing industries, last year graduated over 700 learners as artisans, learnership students, interns and trainees.
The AIDC also recently launched a series of web based support services to the automotive industry, including a data repository for retrenched workers in the automotive sector.