Background

The National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) requires MQA to create close and sustainable partnerships between the colleges and industry, which benefit both the college and the industry concerned. The MQA signed an Agreement with National Business Initiative (NBI) in October 2004 committing both parties to: “immediately commence with open and constructive process to develop and agree on a College-Industry Partnership Programme for the following two to three years…”

To this end an initial set of objectives were agreed on and delivered by NBI on time and within budget.

The NBI with the Department of Education (DoE), designed a College- Industry Partnership (CIP) initiative strategy to ensure a sustainable, development business partnership with the new public Further Education and Training colleges sector. The CIP initiative also has the support of the Department of Labour. These colleges have a crucial role to play in providing the intermediate to higher-level skills that employers and the economy require.

Objectives

FET programme development, the view of the industry on programme and curriculum development at colleges (a survey on the uptake of N- programmes by mining companies, the alignment of the programmes with industry needs, delivery of the programme by FET colleges).

FET corporate governance (the composition of college councils, business representation, the level of education, the roles of members, the system inadequacies).

FET staff development (the need for the training of college staff to engage in partnerships with business, to understand the development needs in industry).

Beneficiaries

16 Participating Colleges