Manamela launches heritage careers expo in North West

South Africa’s Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela launched the fourth Heritage Careers Expo at ORBIT TVET College’s Mankwe Campus in North West on Sept. 22, 2026. The national program is designed to link learners to careers, training and business opportunities in the cultural, creative and heritage sectors.

Why it matters: - The Heritage Careers Expo is aimed at expanding career guidance for learners in industries that combine culture, skills development and income opportunities. - The program is designed to connect young people with education, workplace learning, entrepreneurship and access to markets in South Africa’s creative and heritage economy. - The expo prioritizes Grades 8 to 11, including learners in rural, township and underserved communities.

What happened: - Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela launched the fourth Heritage Careers Expo on Sept. 22, 2026, at ORBIT TVET College’s Mankwe Campus in North West. - North West Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi and North West MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation Galebekwe Virginia Tsotso Tlhapi joined the launch. - Government leaders, education and training institutions, industry partners and thousands of learners attended. - The Expo is a national initiative focused on career, training, employment and business opportunities in South Africa’s cultural, creative and heritage industries.

The details: - The Expo brings together government, Sector Education and Training Authorities, schools, universities, TVET colleges, training providers, employers, entrepreneurs and practitioners on one platform. - The program is built around a pathway from school to skills, qualification, work and enterprise. - CATHSSETA is the anchor SETA leading national coordination. - Ten partnering SETAs are contributing sector content and practical learning: FP&M, FoodBev, Services, AgriSETA, W&RSETA, TETA, MQA, EWSETA, FASSET and PSETA. - Learners take part in practical “Try-A-Skill” activities, live demonstrations and masterclasses. - Activities cover culinary entrepreneurship, music, dance, visual arts, fashion, hair and make-up, poetry and storytelling, cultural tourism, indigenous games and digital content creation. - The program also includes guidance on qualifications, workplace learning, entrepreneurship and access to markets. - Six recognized South African practitioners serve as Master Champions: Onezwa Mbola, Mbuso Khoza, Kitty Phetla, Nelson Makamo, Sheli Masondo and Mandisa Vundla. - Their disciplines include indigenous cuisine, indigenous music, contemporary dance, visual arts, fashion and costume design, and poetry and storytelling. - The Master Champions are helping learners understand both the creative discipline and the business side of the careers. - The program also highlights the broader value chain, including marketers, project managers and entrepreneurs.

Between the lines: - The launch frames heritage as more than preservation. It positions heritage as an economic sector with pathways into jobs and enterprise. - Minister Manamela said South Africa’s heritage carries knowledge, identity and economic value, and young people need training, workplace experience and access to opportunities to turn that value into careers. - CATHSSETA Chief Executive Officer Marks Thibela said the fourth edition shows the Expo has grown from a single-day exhibition into a national platform centered on career development. - The emphasis on live experiences and practitioner access suggests the program is trying to make career options tangible for learners who may not see these industries as realistic paths.

What’s next: - The national program will continue with provincial activities, school visits, masterclasses and digital content. - Further live experiences are scheduled in KwaZulu-Natal at Esayidi TVET College and in the Eastern Cape at Lovedale TVET College. - The program will close with a ceremony in the Eastern Cape. - Recorded content will be used to reach learners who cannot attend in person. - The Expo aims to build a national pipeline linking creative talent with education, employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.

The bottom line: - South Africa is using the Heritage Careers Expo to turn cultural interest into a structured pathway to skills, work and business opportunities.