Exploring the role of a TVET hybrid CoS for the GHE

The paper assesses the South African TVET system's capacity to support a green transition, specifically focusing on the Green Hydrogen Economy. It evaluates the existing Centres of Specialisation (CoS) model and pilot programmes from Bambili Advisory and the National Business Initiative (NBI) to recommend a flexible, demand-led approach to green skills development. The authors argue for a 'capabilities approach' over narrow occupational competencies to ensure a just transition for youth.

• The South African TVET system faces significant systemic challenges, including declining enrolments—falling from 737,880 in 2015 to 673,490 in 2019—and low throughput rates, with only 9.2% of students enrolled in NC(V) Level 2 in 2016 completing Level 4 by 2018.
• There is a persistent disconnect between green policy and vocational training; green skills are often categorised as 'scarce' or 'critical' outside core occupational frameworks, and many TVET colleges have stopped offering green skills electives due to limited uptake.
• The existing Centres of Specialisation (CoS) programme has successfully shifted some colleges toward a demand-led culture by using a dual-system apprenticeship model and placing industry associations (Occupational Team Convenors) in leadership roles.
• The CoS model is currently not scalable for broad economic inclusion, as the first intake of 732 candidates across 26 campuses is very small compared to the 200,000-300,000 students enrolled in engineering qualifications system-wide.
• A Bambili Advisory and University of Pretoria pilot for fuel cell (FC) systems demonstrated that rigorous screening and the addition of soft skills and digital training are essential to improve the employability of qualified candidates.
• The NBI 'Plumbing Hand' programme showed that using a 'lead employer' (NBI) to handle administrative burdens allows small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to act as host employers for solar water heating training.
• Projecting specific skill demands for the Green Hydrogen Economy is difficult because the value chain is in early development and many future roles do not yet have occupational titles.
• The authors recommend a 'capabilities approach' to vocational training, focusing on broader job families and disciplinary knowledge rather than narrow competencies, to prevent workers from becoming redundant as technology evolves.
• To implement a Green Hydrogen CoS, the document recommends locating sites near anticipated 'Hydrogen Valley' hubs, specifically mentioning potential sites in Limpopo, Johannesburg, Durban, and Richards Bay.
• Sustainable funding for green TVET programmes requires coordinating fragmented streams from the fiscus, skills levies, and tax incentives, and integrating CoS costs into standard college funding norms.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). Exploring the role of a TVET hybrid CoS for the GHE. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Workstream-5-TVET-hybrid-Centre-of-Specialisation_Bambili_SAIIA_NBI.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Exploring the role of a TVET hybrid CoS for the GHE. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Workstream-5-TVET-hybrid-Centre-of-Specialisation_Bambili_SAIIA_NBI.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Exploring the role of a TVET hybrid CoS for the GHE |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Workstream-5-TVET-hybrid-Centre-of-Specialisation_Bambili_SAIIA_NBI.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndexploring, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Exploring the role of a TVET hybrid CoS for the GHE}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Workstream-5-TVET-hybrid-Centre-of-Specialisation_Bambili_SAIIA_NBI.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }