Dynamics and Complexities of Work Based Education in the Context of Technical, Vocational and Training Colleges

ABSTRACT Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in South Africa has undergone major institutional, structural and curricular changes over the last twenty-seven years. At the centre of these changes lie skills mismatch and poor quality of graduates who have gone through Work Based Education (WBE) experience. This study was conducted on two campuses of one of the public TVET colleges in northern KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. This mixed-method study used purposive sampling to identify the sample size of 21 participants, which comprised campus managers, senior lecturers and WBE champions. The findings revealed that the college management is failing to give necessary support to the implementers on the ground to carry out the WBE programme. Findings also revealed that the college management seems not to fully comprehend their role in enforcing compliance with the regulation guiding the WBE implementation. The need to strengthen ties with existing host employers and to recruit new host employers to address a serious shortage in graduate placement is evident. The study recommends that a clear vision for the implementation of WBE be prioritised and communicated to all stakeholders for effective implementation of the programme.