MINISTER MANAMELA LAUNCHES NATIONAL HERITAGE CAREERS EXPO, CONNECTING CULTURE WITH CAREERS IN THE NORTH WEST

The Minister, Mr Buti Manamela, today launched the fourth edition of the Heritage Careers Expo (HCE) at ORBIT TVET College, in the North West province.

MANKWE, NORTH WEST, SOUTH AFRICA, September 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela, today launched the fourth edition of the Heritage Careers Expo (HCE) at ORBIT TVET College, Mankwe Campus, in the North West province. The Minister was joined by the Premier of the North West Province, Hon. Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi (MPL), and the North West MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Hon. Galebekwe Virginia Tsotso Tlhapi (MPL), together with government leaders, education and training institutions, industry partners and thousands of learners.

The Expo is a national initiative exposing learners to career, training, employment and business opportunities within South Africa’s cultural, creative and heritage industries, responding to the need for career guidance that reflects opportunities many young people don’t know exist.

It brings government, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), schools, universities, TVET colleges, training providers, employers, entrepreneurs and practitioners into one platform, offering a pathway from School to Skills, Qualification, Work and Enterprise.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Manamela said the programme would help learners connect their abilities with recognised education and economic opportunities: “South Africa’s heritage carries knowledge, identity and economic value. Our responsibility is to help young people develop that value through education, skills and enterprise. Talent may provide the starting point, but young people also need training, workplace experience and access to opportunities.”

CATHSSETA is the anchor SETA, leading national coordination, with ten partnering SETAs; FP&M, FoodBev, Services, AgriSETA, W&RSETA, TETA, MQA, EWSETA, FASSET and PSETA; providing sector-specific content and practical learning.

LEARNERS EXPERIENCE CAREERS IN ACTION

Moving beyond conventional career exhibitions, learners take part in practical “Try-A-Skill” activities, live demonstrations and masterclasses spanning culinary entrepreneurship, music, dance, visual arts, fashion, hair and make-up, poetry and storytelling, cultural tourism, indigenous games, and digital content creation; alongside guidance on qualifications, workplace learning, entrepreneurship and access to markets.

Six recognised South African practitioners are serving as Master Champions across the programme’s main disciplines: Onezwa Mbola (indigenous cuisine), Mbuso Khoza (indigenous music), Kitty Phetla (contemporary dance), Nelson Makamo (visual arts), Sheli Masondo (fashion and costume design) and Mandisa Vundla (poetry and storytelling). They are helping learners understand the discipline and business behind successful creative careers, and the wider value chain of marketers, project managers and entrepreneurs it requires.

NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL REACH

The North West launch introduces a broader national programme of provincial activities, school visits, masterclasses and digital content, with further live experiences in KwaZulu-Natal (Esayidi TVET College) and the Eastern Cape (Lovedale TVET College), followed by a closing ceremony in the Eastern Cape. Recorded content will extend the programme to learners who cannot attend in person, prioritising Grades 8 to 11, including rural, township and underserved communities.

Mr Marks Thibela, Chief Executive Officer of CATHSSETA, said the fourth edition reflects the programme’s growth into a national movement: “Every edition of the Heritage Careers Expo has grown in scale and impact, and this fourth installation is no different. We have moved beyond a single-day exhibition to a national platform that places heritage at the centre of career development. Young people must be able to see and experience the careers available to them, and today they are doing exactly that; meeting practitioners, employers and training institutions who can open real pathways into South Africa’s creative and cultural economy.”

The Expo aims to establish a national pipeline linking creative talent with education, employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Media enquiries:

Matshepo Seedat on 082 679 9473 @HigherEduSpox
Poshy Damane on 060 534 4781 @CATHSSETA: Manager (Communications and Branding)

Poshy Damane
CATHSSETA
+27605344781 ext.
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