Vocational education and training programmes for unemployed women in Winterveldt, Pretoria

Abstract

The plight faced by unemployed rural communities in South Africa and particularly the women folks of Winterveldt does not differ much from other rural areas globally in terms of poverty and the need for development. In the light of this problem, the study attempted to answer the main research question guiding it, namely, what is the role of Vocational Education and Training programmes for unemployed women in Winterveldt? Few, if any, studies in South Africa have investigated how unemployed women with little formal education engage in Vocational Education and Training programmes for purposes of employment creation, environmental awareness and cultural preservation. This thesis presents three streams of Vocational Education and Training programmes that were introduced in Winterveldt, Pretoria, namely, the embroidery, vegetable gardens and beadwork. Using a multi-focal theoretical framework consisting of empowerment, human capital, feminism, and critical pedagogy theories, the study investigates whether the programmes reduced women’s vulnerability to poverty in post-apartheid South Africa. To carry out the investigation, the study employed a multiple case study research design based on an interpretive paradigm. In addition, the researcher using individual and focus group interviews, observations and document analysis was able to acquire qualitative data. The data were collected from 17 unemployed women, seven from embroidery stream, five from vegetable garden section and five from beadwork division as well as three coordinators. All the interviewees were selected purposively because they were deemed information rich with regard to the programmes of their studies. Data were analysed manually through hand coding that led to the emergence of the research findings. The research findings were categorised into various ideas that were eventually used to form the themes to this study. The research findings revealed the followings:  That all human beings have the capacity to realise their potential in their own way;  That women with little or no formal learning, usually go unnoticed in any systematic way;  That despite being unnoticed, women have achieved success by using their own hands and available resources to create artefacts or produce crops to turn their impoverished situation around; and  That Vocational Education and Training programmes serve as a primary livelihood strategy for unemployed women who had no alternative means of employment. In conclusion, the research findings are a reminder of the true African spirit that says; Rutang bana ditaola, le se ye natšo badimong, broadly translated as teach insights into the secrets of life to the young ones; you are not to take them with you when you depart to the land of ancestors. Finally, this study proposes a partnership framework as a formation that could enhance the performance of the women participants in the area of Winterveldt. The idea is that by sharing their knowledge and expertise the unemployed women who participate in the various community-based Vocational Education and Training programmes can achieve far better results than when they work in silos.