The contribution of Technical Vocational Education and Training formal programmes to inclusive company growth and transformation: a case study of the automotive manufacturing sector in South Africa

Abstract

This thesis investigates the contribution of formal Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes to inclusive industrial growth and transformation in the automotive manufacturing sector in South Africa. The thesis argues, based on the survey and case studies, that the role skills play is an addition role, not central one, in industrial growth. Industrial growth is rather driven by other contextual factors, namely, exposure to domestic and export markets, increase in clients, healthy relations in the workplace, and changes in technology and industrial policy. It is through these factors that skills play a role. Similarly, industrial transformation is not driven by skills, but rather by factors such as the clients' product demands and specifications; the national industrial/sectoral policy; research and innovation expertise from company headquarters often outside South Africa; global market forces and price volatility; new regulations on emission(s) demanded by the government; and competition amongst components. Thus as a contribution to existing literature, I argue that there is a need to consider and recognize company level factors that are critical in shaping the skills system if we are to understand the extent to which skills enhance growth and transformation. Moreover, the findings challenge the current formal TVET provision policy in South African which does not seem to recognize or incorporate other forms of provision in which skills can be acquired, i.e., informal- on the job training, non-formal company based training, in addition to formal institutional based training.