Cape Town has strengthened workforce development through a new partnership expanding accredited training, creating opportunities for communities, entrepreneurs and municipalities across the Western Cape.
The City of Cape Town has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA), establishing a multi-year partnership to expand skills development across the metro and strengthen capacity within municipalities throughout the region.
The agreement supports skills development linked to local economic growth and spans all 13 City directorates and 35 education, training and development programme types. It also positions the City’s Training Academy as an inter-municipal development hub that will provide training opportunities beyond Cape Town.
The partnership is designed to improve access to accredited education and skills programmes while creating opportunities for groups that often face barriers to employment and economic participation.
“This partnership is about opportunity,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, Alderman Theresa Uys.
“It reflects the City’s deep commitment to developing our people, with a deliberate focus on those who need it most: persons with disabilities, EPWP and community workers, adult learners, and entrepreneurs in our township economy.”
Programme areas include learnerships for persons with disabilities, supported by specialised assistive equipment for call centre and revenue collection qualifications, as well as accredited training for Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) participants to improve long-term employment prospects.
The partnership also strengthens Adult Education and Training by providing literacy, numeracy and functional skills programmes from National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Levels 1 to 4.
Entrepreneurs operating in the township economy will benefit from targeted local economic development training aimed at helping small businesses grow, while community artists will have access to accredited development pathways that support careers in the creative sector.
The agreement provides for joint planning between the City and LGSETA, co-funding for established accredited programmes and full grant funding for new pilot initiatives over a period of up to three years.
By expanding access to skills development across multiple sectors, the partnership aims to strengthen local government capacity, improve employability and create new economic opportunities for communities across Cape Town and beyond.
