Powering SA's Youth into the Green Economy
The practical component of Project Power Up was launched on 22 August 2025, at Atlantis Campus of Westcoast TVET College, a pioneering programme designed to prepare South Africa’s youth for careers in the fast-growing New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sector. The launch brought together delegates from the Western Cape Government, industry partners (Golden Arrow Buses and Stroom), SIFA, and training providers (West Coast TVET College and young beneficiaries) to celebrate a bold step towards building a greener and more inclusive economy.
Project Power Up is a strategic partnership between the Swiss South African Cooperation Initiative (SSACI) and the Guru Group of Learning (GGL), funded by the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) under the guidance of AUDA–NEPAD. The programme addresses a critical skills gap by delivering specialised training in electric and hybrid vehicle technology, combined with workplace exposure, entrepreneurial development, and work readiness skills training.
The EV Training Power Up collaboration will inform the creation of a new QCTO skill curriculum and content, ensuring it aligns with industry needs and future trends based on the lessons gained from this pilot.
The experience gained from both the learners and the industry, coupled with academia, will provide insights into the development of new nationally recognised accredited QCTO curricula and content. It will also determine whether specific content should be developed based on niche fields and size, specialisiation or specification of the vehicle might need specific modules or separate skills programmes to be developed.
The pilot encourages sustainability and growth through this collaborative approach that will ensure a seamless transition from training to employment, positioning our workforce at the forefront of the green mobility revolution.
DEDAT facilitated the placement of the students for their 4-month work placement that forms part of the pilot to gain EV-related skills at Golden Arrow Bus Services at the Epping Depot. SSACI, as the key partner with West Coast College and Eduskills implementing the skills training, will be funding the learner stipends through their leveraged funding partners for the duration of the placement.
