“The most difficult thing to learn was cutting hair,” said Anine Baatjies from Bella Vista outside Ceres, after receiving her hairdressing certificate.
Elizabeth from Paarl, who completed the baking skills programme, laughed as she shared that making doughnuts and koeksisters was no easy task.
These are just some of the real experiences behind the Cape Winelands District Municipality’s ongoing investment in youth skills development. Through its Division: Rural and Social Development, the Municipality offers SETA-accredited training programmes aimed at giving young people practical skills and a better chance at finding employment—or even starting their own businesses.
“This is service delivery in action,” said Deputy Executive Mayor, Ald. Margie Sampson. “During public participation sessions, we are often asked to create more opportunities for young people. Programmes like these are our response to that call.”
A total of 29 young people from across the district received certificates. Twelve completed hairdressing training in Ceres, while 17 took part in the Basic Baking Skills programme in Paarl.
The baking course covered everything from dough and pastry to hot and cold desserts, as well as cake and biscuit decorating. Participants also learned about food safety and the importance of proper protective clothing.
Those in the hairdressing programme gained hands-on experience in basic hair therapy and cutting, along with training in using styling tools such as scissors, rollers, straighteners and dryers. They also learned about tool care and personal health. To help them take the next step, each participant received a basic hairdressing kit.
Both groups were also introduced to essential skills like financial management and communication—tools that are just as important as the technical training.
For Anine, one of the highlights was “learning how to blow-dry!”
The training programmes are offered annually in different areas across the Cape Winelands, continuing to open doors for young people across the district.
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KWDM bemagtig plaaslike jeug met vaardighede vir werklike geleenthede
“Die moeilikste ding om te leer was om hare te sny,” het Anine Baatjies van Bella Vista buite Ceres gesê nadat sy haar sertifikaat in haarkappervaardighede ontvang het.
Elizabeth van Paarl, wat die bakvaardigheidsprogram voltooi het, het laggend vertel dat die maak van doughnuts en koeksisters glad nie maklik was nie.
Dit is maar net enkele van die werklike ervarings agter die Kaapse Wynland Distriksmunisipaliteit (KWDM) se volgehoue belegging in jeugvaardigheidsontwikkeling. Die Landelike en Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling afdeling van die KWDM bied hierdie SETA-geakkrediteerde opleidingsprogramme aan. Die projek is daarop gemik om jong mense met praktiese vaardighede toe te rus en hul kanse op werk, of selfs die begin van hul eie besigheid te verbeter.
“Dit is dienslewering in aksie,” het die Adjunk-Uitvoerende Burgemeester, rdl. Margie Sampson, gesê. “Tydens openbare deelnameprosesse word ons dikwels gevra om meer geleenthede vir jong mense te skep. Programme soos dié is ons antwoord daarop.”
’n Totaal van 29 jong mense van regoor die distrik het hul sertifikate ontvang. Twaalf het haarkapperopleiding in Ceres voltooi, terwyl 17 aan die Basiese Bakvaardigheidsprogram in Paarl deelgeneem het.
Die bakprogram het opleiding in deeg en gebak, warm en koue nageregte, asook die bak en versiering van koeke en beskuitjies ingesluit. Deelnemers het ook geleer oor voedselveiligheid en die belangrikheid van toepaslike beskermende klere en toerusting.
Deelnemers in die haarkapperprogram het praktiese ervaring opgedoen in basiese haarversorging en snytegnieke, asook die gebruik van gereedskap soos skêre, rollers, borsel, kamme en haardroërs. Opleiding het ook die versorging van toerusting en persoonlike gesondheid ingesluit. Om hulle te help om die volgende stap te neem, het elke deelnemer ’n basiese haarkapperstel ontvang.
Beide groepe is ook toegerus met noodsaaklike vaardighede soos finansiële bestuur en kommunikasie, vaardighede wat net so belangrik is soos die tegniese opleiding.
Vir Anine was een van die hoogtepunte “om te leer hoe om hare te blaas!”
Die opleidingsprogramme word jaarliks in verskillende gebiede van die Kaapse Wynlande aangebied en bly deure oopmaak vir jong mense regoor die distrik.
