MEC Visits Northlink College
Leon Beech,Northlink College CEO, standing next to Dan Plato, Western Cape MEC: Safety and Security
In late 2012 Northlink College received a visit from MEC Dan Plato and Gideon Morris (Chief Director: Secretariat for Safety and Security) to discuss a partnership which has been piloted a few months ago with the Department of Community Safety and Security in the Western Cape.
Minister Dan Plato took the initiative of addressing unemployed youth in various poverty stricken areas with regards to education and training opportunities which would change their lives and their existing circumstances radically. He realised that in order to do this, he must partner with an educational institution and selected Northlink College.
As one of the biggest public FET Colleges in the country, Northlink College has been in the business of shaping students minds and their futures for more than a decade. With its seven easily accessible campuses (Bellville, Belhar, Goodwood, Parow, Protea, Tygerberg and Wingfield) situated in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town, Northlink offers a wide range of courses designed to close the skills gap and provide relevant training for various industries.
With the assistance of Damian September (Northlink student recruiter) they have already made a huge impact in various communities by making youth aware of what Northlink has to offer them. Says Mr. September: “It is an eye-opener to see how youth responds when given real positive alternative options to their current lifestyles. They are hungry for a change, but have no financial resources to pursue these changes.”
Fortunately Northlink College has bursaries available for all their NC(V), and NATED (N1 to N6) courses. This includes engineering studies, business studies and hospitality. Furthermore the College has sourced funding from the National Skills Fund, which will support an additional number of students, specifically those that have an interest in skills development programmes. There are many more courses available, but they do not have bursaries attached to them, such as hair care, cosmetology, sport and drama, etc.
“Youth at risk in South Africa is uninformed in most cases regarding financial assistance and opportunities towards studying. This partnership is very valuable to Northlink because it addresses this issue. Furthermore we need to take hands with other government departments, in order to secure additional funding for more space and equipment so that we can accommodate more students from all walks of life ”, says Leon Beech, CEO of Northlink College. MEC Plato undertook to speak to the Department of Public works and Transport regarding the availability of vacant public buildings in the Western Cape.
In conjunction with MEC Plato, Mr. September embarked on this project since August 2012. They visited areas such as Lavender Hill, Atlantis, Robertson, McGregor, Worcester, Elsies River and Hannover Park which are known to be gang stricken areas. MEC Plato is of the opinion that wherever public gatherings may occur, we should be able to inform the youth of these excellent opportunities that exist at FET Colleges and that there is always hope for the future.
We encourage all unemployed youth and their parents, as well as grade 9 to Matric learners to contact the College as soon as possible. There are still many bursaries available, but some of the courses are filling fast. If your first choice of study is full, don’t give up! Apply for another programme offered at Northlink College in order to start your career path in 2013. Contact our Call Centre on 08600 NLINK (65465). Kindly note that unfortunately, bursaries are applicable to Full Time studies only.
This partnership speaks to Northlink’s mission, which is to provide quality, relevant and accredited education and training which will address the skills and developmental need of all stakeholders and our country.