Strengthening partnerships between the Co-operative Education Unit and its employer stakeholders took centre stage as the Durban University of Technology (DUT) proudly hosted the much-anticipated Employer Awards Ceremony on Friday, 11 April 2025, at the Coastlands Musgrave Hotel.
The DUT Co-Operative Education unit invited various host employer organisations, DUT staff, DUT students and various external stakeholders to the event to give thanks to the sterling employers who have been instrumental in the placing of DUT students for their Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and/or internships.
The DUT Co-operative Education unit’s some of its core functions are to create partnerships with industry, Government and communities; to provide strategic leadership to DUT on all aspects of co-operative education; and to coordinate the Work Integrated Learning and graduate opportunities.
Welcoming the guests to the esteemed event was the Deputy Dean: Faculty of Management Sciences, Professor Melanie Lourens at DUT.
She emphasised the strategic role played by all the different role players that were present. Prof Lourens indicated that the contributions made by each person was phenomenal as DUT relies on its industry partners for the practical component of studies at DUT.
“Getting the kids to go to work is an achievement for our students,” she said.
She further thanked all stakeholders for making such a difference and for making time and being proactive in the DUT webinars and advisory boards which was always well received by the university.
Addressing the attendees was the Director (Acting) of the Co-Operative Education unit, Dr Themba Msukwini, who highlighted the key importance of the partnership between DUT and the stakeholders, and shared insight into the Co-Operative Education unit’s plans for 2025.
“Some of the core functions of our unit is to establish properly constituted Advisory Boards for each programme and these Boards are managed by the industry to make a valuable input into the curriculum,” he said.
Dr Msukwini further delved into one of the much-anticipated events on the DUT calendar which is the Annual World of Work Careers Fair 2025. He explained that this event is scheduled to take place at the DUT’s Fred Crookes Sport Centre, Durban, from 20 August 2025 to 21 August 2025, as well as on 22 August 2025 at the Indumiso Campus hall in Pietermaritzburg.
“The Annual World of Work Careers Fair is scheduled for these three days and to share, 194 companies have already participated in 2024. It is an unique opportunity to be exposed to and to interact with our industry partners and all stakeholders. The aim of this dynamic event is for companies to showcase diverse careers and to market themselves as employers of choice,” he relayed.
He emphasised that a bigger aspect of this event is providing real-life experiences for students, and adaptive graduates,” he said.
He urged all stakeholders to ensure they are part of this year’s annual World of Work Careers Fair.
Further on into the programme, the Managing Director: Projectized, Mrs Nokuthula Ndlovu shared on her technology company which also houses students from DUT.
She focused her talk on urging all stakeholders to contribute towards making positive changes into the high unemployment statistics that South Africa currently faces.
The awards concluded with the vote of thanks which was delivered by the charismatic Ms Nompumelelo Madonda who hails from the Office of the Premier.
She thanked DUT for the sterling work that they do, indicating further that DUT’s WIL statistics are one of the best which is all thanks to the good work that is delivered by the DUT Co-operative Education unit.
She also spoke on collaboration amongst universities and not seeing each other as competitors. “Collaboration is the key and the hope of this country. If it collapses, it collapses with us. Inspire new hope in whatever that you do,” she shared.
Mandla Ngobese from the Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) was ecstatic to receive the award on behalf of TETA.
“It means that our jobs are recognised and we as an organisation are doing something out there in terms of in this industry. We are servicing the students, we are changing the communities, and we are changing families. This award means a lot to us and to keep on doing more in terms of funding, internships and WILs,” he said.
Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) representative from the KwaZulu-Natal Regional Office, Ms Yooshika Naicker was delighted with their award.
“The partnership between DUT and CATHSSETA shows strong in terms of the skills development that we want to ensure happens throughout our country. As one of the partners involved in the World of Work (WoW) we are ensuring that skills development through the sectors that we grant funds to as CATHSSETA is then implemented through universities and universities of technologies,” she said.
All in all, the consensus given was that by 2030 the intention by DUT is to produce students who are innovative, creative and are critical thinkers.
Pictured: DUT stakeholders excited after receiving awards at the Employer Awards ceremony.
Photography: DUT Audio Visual
Waheeda Peters
