Fostering a new generation of sustainable fashion designers, the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FP&M SETA) is sponsoring 13 students from Gauteng, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to test their skills against each other at World Skills Competition (WSC) South Africa 2022, being held at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), Brickfield campus, Durban.

FASHION TECHNOLOGY

The three day WSC South Africa 2022 from March 4 to 6, organised in partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), DUT’s Faculty of Arts and Design, is a superb platform for four students from KwaZulu-Natal, six from the Eastern Cape and three from Gauteng to showcase their valuable expertise in many different fields, including FP&M SETA scope of occupations such as Fashion Technology, Printing (Lithography) and Furniture Making.

“For us, this is an exciting learning experience that will help equip them for future success, whether in jobs or setting up their own businesses. Learners are given an opportunity to benchmark their occupational skills and knowledge both nationally and internationally,” said Dr Felleng Yende, Chief Executive Officer at FP&M SETA.

The Fibre Processing and Manufacturing SETA is a skills development organisation consisting 13 subsectors, packaging, footwear, clothing, furniture, forestry, general goods, printing, leather, publishing, print media, wood products, textiles, and pulp and paper.

INDUSTRY GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY

“Occupational skills are a vital component of our economy. As a skills development organisation working to facilitate skills development in 13 economic sectors, we judge ourselves on the impact we make to industry growth and sustainability. As sponsors and partners of this competition, we recognise the competition as a crucial vehicle for entrepreneurship, employability and sustainable growth and development,” said Dr Yende.

NATIONAL COMPETITION

The students from Walter Sisulu University, DUT and Tshwane North College, will compete in Pattern-making, Technical drawing, Cutting, Fusing pieces, Garment finishing and Pressing.  Winners, who will receive trophies, will proceed to the national competition, also in Durban at the end of March.

“We are excited to host this competition to help students advance their full potential through the use of their creative talent, and their creative and pioneering thinking in fashion. The Faculty of Arts and Design believes in the value of students’ versatility, and career-orientated entrepreneurship. We would like the students to successfully take their place in the highly competitive and challenging clothing design industry,” said Professor Runette Kruger, DUT’s Executive Dean for the Faculty of Arts and Design.

South Africa is one of 74 countries affiliated to the World Skills International (WSI). The national competition, will culminate in the World Skills Competition Africa to be held in Swakopmund, Namibia, in April and the World Skills International Competition in Shanghai in October.

Pictured: Student participants in the World Skills Competition 2022.

Copy supplied: FP&M SETA