Majuba TVET College artisan shines in chosen career
In celebrating “The Decade of the Artisan” we feature a young and budding artisan, Mondli Ntshapheka, who studied at Majuba TVET College
Majuba Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College has a reason to feel proud, as its former student strives in the vehicle maintenance industry.
26-year-old Mondli Ntshapheka graduated in 2015, after completing the Automative Repair and Maintenance, NCV Level 4 course, offered at Majuba TVET College. Born in Nongoma, Ntshapheka comes from humble beginnings and said it was a challenging but rewarding journey for him.
“Coming from a town like Nongoma, I would say I have come a long way in making my dreams a reality. After completing my matric year, I moved to Newcastle to study at Majuba TVET College. It wasn’t easy: “I lost my mom in 2006 but I knew I had to be strong for my family. My grandparents were instrumental in assisting me to pursue my career. I also managed to get a bursary through the College from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), which eased the burden of having to worry about paying fees.”
Ntshapheka then set his eye on completing his course, which would see him clinch a job with the big car dealer, Newcastle Volkswagen (VW). He said he was grateful for the opportunity.
“After successfully finishing my course, I was accepted at VW in 2016 to do an apprenticeship, which I got with the College’s assistance. What I love about the College is that you are supported every step of the way. The Lecturers were amazing and patient. It is a challenging course but it is very doable.”
He offered these words of encouragement for current students:
“I would encourage students who are at the College right now to stay motivated. Understand that you will encounter many challenges, but you need to clear your mind and know it will be worth it once you complete the course. Nothing comes easy, but the rewards are good if you are resilient, persistent and hard working.”
Ntshapheka, has a Diesel Mechanic qualification, has successfully passed his Trade Test and is now a qualified Commercial Vehicle Technician.
Newcastle VW Sales and Marketing Director, Junaid Docrat said the Dealership was lucky to have Ntshapheka at the Company. “Mondli is a hard worker; he always gives more than is expected and I believe he has learned a lot since joining us in 2016. I am very happy with his work and look forward to watching his growth in this industry.”
The year 2014-2024 has been declared as the “Decade of the Artisan” by the Ministry of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
The Decade of the Artisan came into existence as result of lack of qualified artisans in the country to sustain industries and support economic growth, which prompted the Ministry of the Department of Higher Education and Training to identify it as a priority area for skills development.
The Decade of the Artisan Campaign will be hosted by Majuba TVET College and is schedule to take place on the 20th of August 2019 at the Newcastle Training Centre and on 21st of August 2019 at Dundee Technology Centre. High schools, Industry and SETA’s have been invited to attend the valuable information sessions. These sessions will expose high school learners on some of the interesting activities that take place at the College’s engineering workshops; allow them to gather more information about Industry; give them information about funding available from SETAs for students; and will enable them to make an informed decision as to their future career choices.
