By Thapelo Molefe
South Africa has launched a major skills development programme to prepare students, workers and communities for opportunities in the fast-growing green economy, with strong backing from international partners.
Speaking on behalf of Deputy President Paul Mashatile at the launch of the JET (Just Energy Transition) Skills Desk and the National Jet Skills Advisory Forum, Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela said these structures formed part of a vital transition towards a low-carbon, inclusive and equitable energy future.
They will provide the leadership and coordination necessary to advance a cohesive and demand-driven skills development agenda.
The structures, located within the department and the Human Resource Development Council of SA, will coordinate reskilling programmes, curriculum reforms and career pathways for South Africans in renewable energy, green hydrogen, electric vehicles and other sustainable industries.
“This is not only a skills agenda, it is a nation-building agenda,” Manamela said.
“The just energy transition must be about ensuring that women, youth and vulnerable groups are not left behind. Universities, TVET colleges and community education centres must prepare South Africans, especially workers in vulnerable sectors, for new opportunities.”
The desk will serve as an operational hub, driving adult upskilling, labour market intelligence and curriculum readiness, while the advisory forum will ensure coordination between government, labour, business and civil society.
They will tackle the green skills gap hindering equitable energy transition and affecting economic development and competitiveness.
The minister said there was a collective recognition for a holistic strategy that included education reform and an increase in skilled labour to guarantee that all South Africans, particularly those living in coal-dependent and disadvantaged areas, could participate in the green economy.
The structures will also establish key integrated mechanisms, including a JET Skills Integrated Plan, to guide and coordinate interventions across the system.
They will further support the development of Skills Development Zones, which are targeted hubs in high-impact areas like Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape and the Northern Cape. These zones will link training to employment opportunities in emerging sectors such as renewable energy, green hydrogen and new energy vehicles to grow local economies.
International partners, including the European Union (EU), Germany and Switzerland, are supporting the initiative through a multi-donor programme.
Ambassadors from the EU, Germany and Switzerland highlighted education as the backbone of the transition. Switzerland cited its globally respected TVET apprenticeship model, while Germany underscored the importance of long-term cooperation in skills development.
South Africa’s just energy transition is expected to reshape the labour market dramatically.
Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa warned that coal-dependent towns risked economic collapse unless workers were retrained for alternative employment.
“We must design interventions that ensure the net employment benefit is positive. Otherwise, the transition risks leaving communities behind,” he said.
Education experts said the challenge was not just about producing engineers and scientists, but also technicians, artisans and entrepreneurs who could drive innovation and job creation in the renewable sector.
The Department of Higher Education and Training has committed to working with industry to align qualifications with market demand.
Manamela said the new structures would also prioritise career guidance, entrepreneurship support and train-the-trainer programmes, ensuring educators themselves were prepared for the green transition.
“Skills are the bridge between transition and inclusion, between economic restructuring and social justice,” he said.
As South Africa prepares to host the G20 Summit later this year, education and training for a just energy transition will form part of its agenda.
“We must measure success not only by how much green power we generate, but by how many young people gain access to sustainable jobs in the new economy,” Manamela said.
INSIDE EDUCATION
