The Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality and Sports Seta (CATHSSETA) paid a visit to 25 of CPUT’s most promising Tourism and Hospitality Management students.

They were here to monitor and evaluate the students who are spread across various years of study and are the recipients of over R1 million in bursaries from the SETA.

The CATHSETA funds are being used to pay the students’ tuition fees, textbooks, accommodation, meals and other course related costs.

Fundraising Officer, Khumo Sebola, of CPUT’s Advancement Office, says the partnership between CPUT and the CATHSSETA has made a tangible difference to these student’s lives.

“These students now have the luxury of concentrating solely on their academic coursework, instead of stressing about textbook costs, or where their next meal will come from,” says Sebola.

“It is a sad reality that many of our most academically-deserving students are unable to complete their diplomas and degrees due to unbearable financial pressure. We’re therefore delighted to have hosted the CATHSETA on this evaluation visit, so they can see with their own eyes how beneficiaries are blossoming – all thanks to their generous funding.”

Advancement Director Calvin Maseko echoed these sentiments and expressed his gratitude to the CATHSSETA for their ongoing involvement with the CPUT.

“A bursary is definitely the gift that keeps on giving. These donations give dignity and hope to our talented students and contribute to skills development and socio-economic upliftment in our province and country.”

Written by Janyce Weintrob
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The professional body which accredits Human Resources (HR) academic programmes at South African universities is encouraging students to join its recently established CPUT Student Chapter.

The South African Board for People Practices (SABPP), which also serves as a Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) for HR practitioners, runs the chapters as a consortium of HR students which aims to contribute to the training and development of students.

Speaking at an information session held by the chapter at the Cape Town Campus recently, SABPP Chief Operations Officer, Xolani Mawande, says establishing a chapter shows the university’s commitment to adequately prepare its students for industry.

Mawande profiled the professional body and explained the categories in which members may register.

To participate in SABPP’s coveted activities, students may join the chapter for a once-off R200 fee which will entitle them to a membership certificate valid for four years.

A minimum of 50 students who sign up for membership at a university constitute a chapter and that entitles them to benefit from the professional body’s wide range of programmes which include the following: National Student Award and bursaries via the HR Universities’ Fund; Financial and professional support; and Research and leadership opportunities.

Mawande encouraged other universities to follow in CPUT steps and start SABPP Student Chapters.

Written by Candes Keating
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A partnership and years of consultation with the industry and the Wholesale and Retail SETA (W&R SETA) have paved the way for CPUT to empower retail store managers with much needed professional skills.

For the first time ever on South African soil, the new Retail Store Manager Occupational Qualification accredited by the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO) was launched at CPUT recently.

The programme prepares students for a national QCTO assessment composed of three full year certificates providing them with the theoretical knowledge, practical skills and workplace exposure.

Jonathan Aspeling, Head of the Retail Academy, says that despite their vast work experience, retail and store managers generally lack professional skills.

The academy forms part of the country’s only Wholesale and Retail Research Chair, which is hosted at CPUT’s Cape Town Campus.

“Store management is the number one scarce skill in South Africa in the retail industry and one of the top 100 scarce skills in the country in general,” says Aspeling.

This NQF level 6 Qualification is a credit-bearing programme designed by the Retail Industry together with the W&R SETA and is only offered at CPUT.

The programme is intended for managers and trainee managers in retail stores who have discretionary authority to make decisions which includes franchise store managers to regional managers.

The programme is funded by the SETA to the tune of R5-million and each student receives tuition fees, a tablet with bandwidth and a whole range of technology connected to CPUT’s e-learning systems.

For more information about the qualification, please contact either Robyn Schaeffers at 021 464 7260 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Jonathan Aspeling on 021 460 3040 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The Media Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA) is throwing its weight behind an exciting Information Technology (IT) courseware development project in a bid to bolster this critical industry.

The SETA is investing R2.6 million to fund the Higher Certificate in IT Services Management (ITSM). This is an NQF Level 5 qualification which will be offered collaboratively by CPUT and the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sectors.

The course aims to reinvigorate the ICT industry and create a new crop of entrepreneurial ICT practitioners.

The collaboration between MICT SETA and CPUT will deliver a comprehensive set of textbooks and web resources in support of the Higher Certificate in ITSM qualification. Professor Bennett Alexander, the Head of CPUT’s Department of Information Technology, says apart from producing courseware material, the project will include the development of interactive web and social media material. This will ensure that learners from various walks of life, including disadvantaged backgrounds, can engage with the open source courseware.

“We are deeply grateful for the trust and confidence that MICT has shown us and are hoping the project will become a blueprint for open source education in South Africa. We’re also proud that this national project sees Universities of Technology (UoTs) and TVETs joining forces to provide education on IT Services Management.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by MICT SETA CEO, Oupa Mopaki, who adds that the collaboration between CPUT and the TVETs is key to a diverse range of students accessing the course, and ultimately the ICT industry.

“The project will ensure that TVET learners can progress to diploma and degree courses at university level with discipline-specific certificates and portfolios that become sellable materials.”

Written by Janyce Weintrob
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The Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA) have given a whopping R2 million towards bursaries, lighting up the lives of 45 deserving students from the Environmental Science and Environmental Management Departments.

The EWSETA’s main focus areas are in the fields of electricity, oil and gas, nuclear and renewable energy and water, waste and sanitation.

This SETA plays a crucial role in ensuring that the National Skills and Development Strategy is executed within these critical sectors.

Speaking at the cheque handover at Bellville campus recently, EWSETA CEO, Errol Gradwell, emphasised South Africa’s growing need for technicians and artisans in the energy and water fields. He says that with an ailing Eskom and the severe drought currently gripping the country, innovation, investment and large-scale skills development is now crucial.

“South Africa’s desperate need for energy and water will intensify, as the next decade brings more people to a resource-stressed land. These bursaries will enable students to acquire the scarce skills the nation requires. Education in new technologies, shared through private public partnerships and university collaboration will ensure that the latest ideas in solar power, wind turbines and hydroelectric delivery are made available to a technically savvy generation."

Written by Janyce Weintrob

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In a vote of confidence for the quality of the university’s training, skills training authorities have this year disbursed millions of rand in bursaries to CPUT students.

The Safety and Security Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) and Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) recently visited CPUT to confirm the bursaries.

SASSETA has awarded R10 million as bursaries to successful students who are studying Nursing as well as Mechanical, Civil and Electrical Engineering. This year the Seta funded 128 students at the maximum of R80 000 each, with the allocation covering expenses for registration, tuition, accommodation, books and meals.

Sibusiso Zondo, a first-year Mechanical Engineering student from Mbalenhle, Mpumalanga said his mother relies on piecework to provide for their family of seven.

“She gets assisted by my brother who works at Sasol as a general worker since he is the only person working. So, I got help from my church, Alliance Community Church, which sent me here to pursue my studies,” said Sibusiso. “I want to obtain honours here at CPUT and my message to SASSETA is that they must continue doing what they do because back home I left some of my friends in the same situation I was in. When I go back to them again I will tell them about such opportunities so that they can come and study too.”

CETA has increased individual bursary allocations to CPUT students by R20 000 which brings the total value of this year’s bursary to R80 000 per student.

Forty first-year students in the Engineering Faculty received funding in the 2018 academic year. This brings the total number of CPUT students funded by CETA to 113.

“I have come here to listen and so has the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. After this workshop we will sit down and look at what it is that we can do to influence and continue to sustain such a good correlation,” said Vice-Chancellor Dr Chris Nhlapo at the induction workshop the CETA held for the students.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The Wholesale & Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSETA) has awarded bursaries to the tune of R42 million to CPUT students who excel academically. 

This year the SETA awarded 160 new bursaries to successful applicants in addition to more than 300 students who they have been funding since last year. This amounted to a life-changing R42 million.

The students, who are in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, applied for funding earlier this year directly to the Seta via their website.

During a bursary contract signing session held recently on the District Six campus, the Seta gave students backpacks and stationery in preparation for the upcoming exams.

CPUT and the W&R SETA have a strong partnership since the latter has been awarding bursaries to our students over the past four years.

“We highly appreciate partnering with the SETA. They have been funding both undergraduate and postgraduate bursaries as well as the Wholesale & Retail Leadership Research Chair. The postgraduate bursaries are assisting developing future academics,” said Prof Paul Green, Dean of Business and Management Sciences.

“Some of these students are graduating in December and this makes us proud as an institution to see students realise their potential.”

Written by Kwanele Butana
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