WHEN 70 newly qualified artisans received their Red Seal qualifications at King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College’s Mthatha Campus, it was a milestone in the Eastern Cape’s drive to build a stronger, more competitive automotive tradesmanship workforce, according to the Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape (AIDC-EC).
The graduation, hosted by KSD TVET College, celebrated graduates across different learning areas, including AIDC-EC candidates who completed the Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning (ARPL) programme, a pathway that turns practical workplace experience into formal, nationally recognised qualifications.
For the artisan graduates, the moment marked more than the completion of a programme. It recognised years of hands-on skill, dedication, and perseverance and opened new doors for career growth, improved earning potential, and entrepreneurship in key technical trades.
Turning experience into qualifications
Across many industries, experienced workers develop valuable practical skills without formal qualifications to recognise their expertise. The ARPL initiative closes this gap by offering an accredited pathway for artisans to be assessed, prepared, trade tested and certified. Accredited by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), the programme provides candidates with a structured pathway to the Red Seal Artisan Qualification, a respected credential recognised beyond South Africa’s borders.
At the ceremony, trade qualifications sponsored through AIDC-EC collaboration were conferred on two critical trades: motor mechanics and diesel mechanics.
The graduation also underscored the important role TVET colleges play in shaping South Africa’s future workforce. As the sector shifts towards specialised occupational programmes, partnerships among training institutions, government, SETAs and industry are becoming essential for building fit-for-purpose, responsive skills.
AIDC-EC says that by aligning training with real industry needs, the centre and KSD TVET College are helping ensure that technical education supports employability, industrial expansion, and long-term economic growth in the Eastern Cape.
For AIDC-EC, artisan development is central to strengthening the province’s competitiveness in automotive manufacturing. A steady supply of qualified artisans helps address regional skills shortages while creating meaningful opportunities for experienced workers, young people, and women entering technical fields.
Collaboration across the Office of the Premier, AIDC-EC, KSD TVET College and the Manufacturing, Engineering and related Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA) enabled the graduates to achieve their qualification.
The certification of 70 Red Seal artisans is a proud milestone for the graduates, their families, and the wider Eastern Cape automotive industry community. It demonstrates the value of targeted skills development and the impact of partnerships that connect experience, training, and opportunity.
The AIDC-EC says as AIDC-EC continues to support local talent and enhance technical capability, initiatives like ARPL will remain vital in positioning the Eastern Cape as a leading automotive industrial hub.
