Page 19 - KZN Business Sense 9.4 - Shadrach Karien (Cover)

WHEELS IN MOTION TO UPSKILL
LEADERSHIP
Prof. Theuns Pelser,
TWIMS Executive
Director
he Toyota
Wessels
TInstitute
for Manufacturing
Studies (TWIMS)
has set the
wheels in
motion for
a leadership
programme that is geared
towards upskilling a diverse
group of decision-makers
in the Eastern Cape (EC) to
positively impact the province’s
manufacturing and broader
industrial sectors.
The purpose of the course is
to provide applied economics
to senior political leaders,
public servants and community
leaders in the province, with
a key focus on the major
opportunities and challenges
facing the broader provincial
economy, with a particular
focus on the province’s
manufacturing and broader
industrial sectors. In 2022, a
similar course, Revitalising
KwaZulu-Natal’s productive
economy: An executive short
course for senior political
leaders and public servants
in KwaZulu-Natal, was
held successfully.
The programme, which will
be rolled out towards the end
of the year, was born out of the
need to develop a dynamic and
robust manufacturing sector in
South Africa in contrast with
its decline over the past two
decades. The opening of the as agriculture processing, Block 3: The key role of national government best
local economy to global trade automotive assembly and manufacturing in driving practice in supporting
has placed substantial pressure component manufacturing, economic development industrial development
on domestic manufacturers clothing and pharmaceuticals.” ■ The middle-income economy ■ Public-private partnership
who have struggled to adapt to model to secure manufacturing
a more competitive operating Structure of training course trap development, social capital and
environment. ■ The role of manufacturing
The course is structured to run in creating value adding prosperous communities
TWIMS’ Executive Director, over six one-week training blocks, employment and raising Pelser adds that the training
with each training block running
Professor Theuns Pelser says to a set pattern of three days of productivity further explores the role of
the course explores the central ■ Unpacking technology and policymaking in shaping
role of the local and provincial intensive training (involving environmental developments manufacturing development
lectures, seminars, brainstorming
government in enabling firm- sessions, factory visits, and the Block 4: The global and the parallel processes
level and sectoral competitive providing significant social
advantage within the provincial exploration of case studies), organisation of production capital to communities. It also
economy for the benefit followed by the setting of a team- within Global and Regional lays the basis for those who
based learning task that needs to
of sustainable community be completed before the start of Value Chains wish to continue to further
development. the next training block. ■ The global (and regional) postgraduate professional
organisation of agriculture qualifications, in so far as it
The South African Course participants will processing, automotive is taught at a postgraduate
manufacturers who have be encouraged to bring their assembly and component level by senior academic staff
attempted to advance their manufacturing, clothing and
operating capabilities in the perspectives into the training pharmaceuticals sectors. and industry practitioners
face of heightened competition sessions and to analytically with advanced academic
explore their views (and
have expressed concern over alternative perspectives). ■ Key macro, meso and micro qualifications.
the lack of, and associated factors driving successful Upon completion, the
high cost, of management Block 1: Locating South Africa manufacturing development participants will receive a course
skills to drive productivity and within the global economy Block 5: Unpacking the completion certificate that is
innovation in the sector. development trajectory accredited by TWIMS, reflecting
■ SA’s position within the of the Eastern Cape’s key that the course focused on the
“Critically, the course, which is global economy manufacturing sectors economic development of the
structured to run for six weeks, ■ Imports and exports ■ The recent performance of Eastern Cape. 
considers the key challenges ■ Investment linkages the Eastern Cape’s agriculture
facing manufacturing in the ■ Major economic activity and processing, automotive Any questions or queries relating to this
context of emerging digital recent performance assembly and component training course can be directed to Prof.
technologies and environmental Block 2: Locating the Eastern manufacturing, clothing and Pelser at theuns.pelser@twimsafrica.com
pressures, and the continued Cape within the South African pharmaceuticals sectors
central role of manufacturing and global economy W: www.twimsafrica.com
to successful economic ■ Identifying Eastern Cape’s
transformation,” says Prof Pelser. ■ Eastern Cape’s position lead firms
Key meso and micro factors
“It [course] then shifts within SA economy ■ impacting Eastern Cape’s
Eastern Cape’s position
to a consideration of how ■ within the regional and successful manufacturing
manufacturing is organised at global economy development
both a global and regional level, ■ Trade dynamics (domestic
and then applying this frame, Block 6: The role of the
explores the development and foreign) public sector in developing
trajectory of four important ■ Major economic activity and manufacturing capabilities
manufacturing sectors such recent performance ■ Local, provincial and
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