The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber today officially launched its much-anticipated Skills Development Desk, a progressive initiative aimed at fostering collaboration among key stakeholders to take action in addressing the critical technical skills shortage in the metro, particularly within the manufacturing sector.
The Skills Development Desk, which will be funded by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and established in partnership with Harambee, is poised to become a vital catalyst in helping to bridge the skills divide, understanding where employment opportunities exist and what is required to be done to unlock them, and fostering the retention and attraction of investment in Nelson Mandela Bay.
The launch of the Desk is aligned to the work of the Chamber’s Local Economy Reinvention Think Tank, a collaborative forum that brings together engineers and out-of-the-box thinkers from our member companies, as well as diverse stakeholders, to reinvent the local economy as the key manufacturing base on the African continent.
“The technical skills shortage has been identified as a key focus area and as such The Think Tank has a dedicated workstream that assesses the challenges, requirements and the strategy which needs to be deployed to address this. This encompasses the rapid speed of change where new jobs are fast emerging, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the digitilisation of manufacturing,” says Denise van Huyssteen, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber. “The Desk is designed to take an industry demand-led approach, ensuring that it is responsive to the specific needs of employers and the jobs in demand. It will serve as the action arm in bringing the workstream’s strategy to life. Major existing manufacturers and incoming investors to the Bay are highlighting their technical skills requirements and to this end, it is vital that all the stakeholders work together to build a sufficient pool of skilled technical talent. This will also incorporate a match-making focus to ensure that displaced workers, with technical skills, are linked to companies which are being launched or are growing their operations,” she said.
Van Huyssteen added, “This initiative is thus designed to help reduce youth unemployment in Nelson Mandela Bay by promoting the technical fields as a career opportunity, while meeting the needs of existing and future investors. The targeted nature of this programme ensures that the training is not just theoretical but is responsive to the speed of change and aligned with the actual needs of local businesses, making it a win-win for both employers and job seekers. It is also vital that underpinning these efforts more scholars become proficient in mathematics core at a matric level and that there is greater awareness of the job opportunities which are available in the technical fields.”
Ayanda Wakaba, CEO of the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), emphasised the importance of the partnership in creating a sustainable talent pipeline for Nelson Mandela Bay. “The collaboration between Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, the ECDC, and Harambee is crucial for ensuring that we have access to the right talent to address current and future skills gaps and employment demands in the automotive and manufacturing sectors. This initiative will not only provide immediate training solutions but will also help prepare the next generation of workers to contribute to the long-term sustainability of our local industries,” Wakaba said.
Harambee’s Chief Opportunity Development Officer, Stephen Shields, expressed that: “This partnership aligns with Harambee’s broader mission to transform the South African labour market by working with partners to reduce the barriers that young people face to enter the labour market. We are working together to promote inclusive hiring with employers, increase access to earning opportunities, provide demand-led skilling and ultimately contribute to local economic development.”
This partnership is a critical step forward in addressing the region’s skills development and youth employment strategies, and further strengthening Nelson Mandela Bay’s manufacturing sector. The Desk will play a pivotal role in building a stronger, more resilient local economy.
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Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) is a beautiful city located on the coast in the Eastern Cape Province and is known as the “Friendly City”, with other towns in this district including Kariega (Uitenage) and Despatch. Forming part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Gqeberha has stunning beaches, historical museums and memorials, award-winning wildlife sanctuaries and super friendly people, making it a spectacular holiday destination.
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Fast growing economy: Harvard’s Centre for International Development (CID) has estimated that the three fastest-growing economies until 2026 will be India, Uganda, and Egypt, growing at 7.89%, 7.46%, and 6.63% respectively. South Africa is projected to grow at 4.9% annually until 2026. This is an indication that the socio-political sphere will eventually stabilise and thus there is no reason to fear to have to start a new business.