SEIFSA Bursaries enabling
dreams
I
n its continued drive to close the critical skills gap within the metals and
engineering sector, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern
Africa (SEIFSA) has, over the years, continued to offer university, university of
technologies as well as apprentice bursaries to upcoming artisans and those
wishing to pursue engineering as a career.
For aspiring artisans, each year the SEIFSA apprentice bursaries allow 10 young
men and women to undergo a 26-week Manufacturing, Engineering and Related
Services Sector Education and Training Authority-accredited institutional training
programme at the SEIFSA Training Centre (STC) in Benoni, followed by on-the-
job training at SEIFSA member companies for 18 months.
The trades offered by the STC to the apprentices include electrician, boilermaker
and welder, as well as fitter and turner, in addition to others. To be eligible for a
SEIFSA apprentice bursary, applicants have to:
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Be South African citizens
Be between the ages of 18 and 28
Have achieved at least 50% for four N3-level subjects aligned to the
chosen trade.
In addition to the 10 apprentice bursaries, the Federation also offers 10 tertiary
education bursaries to students of impeccable academic merit studying towards
electrical, civil, industrial, mechanical and metallurgical engineering qualifications
at universities and universities of technology across South Africa.
Since its introduction in 1986, the SEIFSA Bursary Programme has awarded
countless bursaries, with an exceptional completion rate.
SEIFSA Human Capital and Skills Development Executive Melanie Mulholland says
that the South African manufacturing sector is currently faced with considerable
competitive pressure to become more productive and compete successfully in
export markets, and the existing skills shortage – especially in technical trades –
adds further insult to injury.
“It is against this backdrop as well as the desire to contribute towards creating
a technically-skilled manpower for companies operating in the metals and
engineering sector that the Federation continues to drive the skills development
agenda within the sector,” she says.
SEIFSA AT 75 - SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE MAGAZINE
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