Accessing Technical Vocational Education and Training

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges prepare you for the workplace as well as further and higher education opportunities. The education and training is vocational and occupational, and offers a route that can be followed toward becoming a worker in a skilled trade.

As part of the higher education system, TVET colleges accept students who’ve completed Grades 9, 10, 11 or 12 at school. University post-graduates also enrol for courses at TVET Colleges. These colleges are focussed on employability, and the development of skills in a wide range of fields.

Courses vary from engineering (construction, electrical and mechanical), to ICT and computer networking. There’s a full range of courses serving the hospitality, food service and tourism industries, haircare, early childhood development, management (financial, human resource , marketing, administration) to mention a few. 

The 50 colleges across South Africa, with 6 in the Western Cape collectively have more than 264 campuses. This means that almost every major region in the Western Cape has a TVET college campus. The colleges are externally quality assured to the highest standards with many being ISO accredited. This means that the quality of education and training is internationally benchmarked.

For further information, contact details or direct email enquiry facilities, visit the TVET colleges website

The colleges are 80% subsidised by Government, meaning that the fees are  affordable. For those who can’t afford to pay the fees can enquire about applying for  the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bursaries.

You can contact NSFAS for general enquiries about loans and bursaries:

 Tel: 0860 067 327  

 Email: info@nsfas.org.za