By Malusi Shezi
Standing before a packed hall of industry giants, government dignitaries, academic minds and aspiring professionals at the 2025 Built Environment Indaba, I felt the weight—and the promise—of South Africa’s future.
Held at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, the event was a powerful reminder that the success of our built environment hinges on one urgent truth: we must coordinate, professionalise and accelerate skills development. The time for talk is over—the time to act is now.
The construction and built environment sector possesses immense potential to transform the lives of our citizens, generate sustainable employment through infrastructure development and drive inclusive economic growth.
However, this potential has long been undermined by a fragmented approach—marked by more than 30 industry bodies operating in isolation, often with overlapping mandates and duplicative programmes. This lack of strategic alignment hampers progress. It is imperative that we chart a new course—one defined by collaboration, coherence and a shared vision for national development.
A Shared Vision for Effective Skills Development Deliver in Nation-Building
CETA’s vision is simple, yet profound: to be a pillar for skills development and nation-building. Our mission is to position skills as the foundation for economic development and empowerment. These are not slogans — they are strategic commitments to unlock South Africa’s full potential.
This sector has the power to absorb thousands of unemployed youth. But it will require bold thinking and coordinated action. From introducing alternative building methods like modular construction technologies to fast-tracking artisanship and strengthening our relationship with TVETs and universities — we are building the pathways that will define the workforce of the future.
Skills as a Strategic Lever for Competitiveness and Development
Our National Skills Development Plan (NSDP 2030) demands a proactive, demand-led approach to skills delivery. We must respond to the real needs of the economy:
• Young people need jobs.
• Our townships need development to meet needs of current and future populations as we continue to experience rapid urbanisation.
• Our infrastructure backlogs and current state need speed, innovation and to be climate resilient to ensure sustainability.
I spoke about alternative building technologies (ABTs) — like modular panel systems — that can drastically cut construction times, reduce water usage and introduce green, scalable solutions to housing and public infrastructure of highest standards and quality.
These innovations are not abstract concepts; they are already being piloted in some pockets across the country with enormous success. There are relatable examples globally, where ABTs have solved social, economic and human settlement challenges like in China and Hong Kong.
They use high quality ABTs to build and house thousands in high-rise structures that meet the same standards and of built with traditional materials, if not better, as most have a better design and look, and are climate and environmentally friendly.
From Policy to People: Professionalising the Sector
We need to create clear articulation and attractive pathways, for example – from high school to artisanship, to technician/technologist, to being professionally registered as a built environment professional (BEPs). The formalisation of skills through recognition of prior learning and other pathways must be accelerated as it can close skills gap faster.
Mentorship must become an institutionalised culture for all entities and BEPs; it is key in smoothing the path through candidacy to being professionally registered. And gender, race and geographic equity must be built into everything we do.
Our CETA Career Impact-A-Generation Programme is a step in this direction — helping young people navigate their future with tools, guidance and role models they can relate to, while encouraging young women to consider construction as a career of choice. Further, this programme seeks to bring career guidance information in most of the official languages in South Africa.
Let’s Build the Future Together
My closing message to the indaba was simple, yet urgent: transforming skills development in our sector is not a solo act. No single institution can do it alone. We need councils, universities, regulators, innovators and communities to invest — not in isolation, but in unison.
CETA stands ready to lead, but we cannot lead alone. Let us walk this path side by side and build a sector that is green, inclusive and globally competitive. Let’s train young people not just for jobs, but for purpose-driven careers — to build the world they want to live in. Because in construction, you don’t just raise buildings. You raise nations. You build legacies.
Malusi Shezi is the CEO of the Construction Education and Training Authority.
INSIDE EDUCATION
