National Skills Competition 2025 identifies the cream of South Africa’s future artisans. South Africa’s best technical and vocational students and teachers will take part in the 2025 National Skills Competition from 8-9 October in Johannesburg. Kagiso Trust, in partnership with the Sasol Foundation, the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Higher Education and Training, supported by various sponsors, hosts the Skills Competition to celebrate excellence and expand access to career pathway opportunities for young South Africans.

• Sizakele Mphatsoe, who leads the Trust’s education programme, says the competition positions technical and vocational education (TVET) as a credible and aspirational career pathway.
• “It is a showcase for industry-relevant skills that open doors to employment and entrepreneurship, particularly for young people from rural and marginalised communities,” she says.

13 trade categories

The 289 contestants in the National Skills Competition are the winners of provincial heats in which learners from technical schools, TVET college students from Centres of Specialisation, and teachers, showed off their skill competencies in 13 trade categories.

“These include automotive, fitting and machining, welding and metalwork, electrical power systems, electronics and digital systems, bricklaying and construction, plumbing, woodworking and rigging, engineering graphics and design, and computer-aided design,” says Mphatsoe.

Dr Cynthia Malinga, who leads technical education development at Sasol Foundation, adds: “Skills in each of these categories are vital to the economy, and the competition aims to contribute to the National Development Plan goal of producing 30,000 artisans annually by 2030.”

Tasks in the competition are based on real-life industry-based scenarios, an approach that strengthens the link between education and employment and helps to close the gap between what learners are taught and what industry requires.

Confidence and opportunities

Mphatsoe says the inclusion of teachers in the competition is particularly important because they are at the heart of skills development. “By giving them a platform to showcase their expertise, the competition reinforces the importance of technical education,” she says.

Learners who participate gain not only technical expertise but also the confidence and opportunities to contribute to their communities and thrive in the world of work.

Malinga says society’s emphasis on university education means South Africa has too many engineers and too few artisans to advance the economy. “TVET education offers practical, cost-effective and empowering pathways which will lead to stable employment and financial independence,” she says.

Education and skills are powerful tools for breaking the cycle of poverty, and the competition inspires learners to unlock their potential and contribute meaningfully to society.

The National Skills Competition concludes with an awards presentation where 81 gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded. “But it is more than just about medals,” says Mphatsoe. “It is about igniting human capacity and celebrating the artisans who will build South Africa’s future.”