Electricity and Control August 2025

Reskilling, upskilling + training

Empowering the next generation of energy professionals Peter Dizikes, MIT News

The images highlight speakers and participants in the programme presented during Mr Ngubane’s visit to the IEPA.

J une proved to be an eventful month for the Institute of Energy Professionals Africa (IEPA), driving momentum and marking some notable milestones. The institute was involved in several events that are shaping the future of energy skills development across South Africa and beyond. On 18 June, the IEPA was honoured to welcome Mr Mabuza Ngubane, Chief Director for SETA Coordination at the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), for a site visit at its premises in Benoni. It spotlighted the institute’s growing role in developing the skills needed for South Africa’s low-carbon energy-eˆicient economy. This high-level visit, hosted by Yolanda de Lange, Executive Director of the IEPA, and Mpho Mookapele, CEO of the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA), oˆered Ngubane an opportunity to review the impact of EWSETA-funded training programmes delivered by IEPA, all aligned with the national vision for a just energy transition. From classroom to real-world application, the stories shared by students and facilitators brought the value of practical, inclusive, and outcome-driven training to life. Their experiences reaˆirmed the strength of public-private partnerships and the importance of enabling access to green skills through innovation, collaboration, and mentorship. Highlights of the visit The site visit shared a programme of addresses, presentations, and learners’ testimonials that confirmed the transformative power of technical training in the energy space. Ngubane applauded the IEPA’s contribution to tackling South Africa’s triple challenges of unemployment, poverty, and inequality. He emphasised that TVET colleges and centres like the IEPA are “critical levers of change”, producing not just certified individuals, but competent professionals who can operate at national and international levels. Citing lessons from the recent Africa Green Hydrogen Summit, he reinforced the importance of investing in people alongside infrastructure to ensure sustainable development in the energy sector.

“The unique programmes oˆered here at the IEPA must produce students who solve local challenges and compete globally,” Ngubane said. Mpho Mookapele highlighted the importance of skills development as a national imperative, underscoring the success of the IEPA-EWSETA collaboration. She called for continued alignment between training providers and the demands of a fast-evolving energy sector. “When partnerships prioritise outcomes, we see young people stepping confidently into the future of work,” Mookapele said. Robyn Vilakazi, Executive: Skills Delivery and Quality Assurance at EWSETA, welcomed the delegation and provided an overview of the day. She emphasised that the growing momentum in energy training requires high standards and shared responsibility for equipping youth with meaningful, sustainable opportunities. The visit included some inspiring reflections from current learners and IEPA alumni who shared a small part of their stories. Vutivi Vinolia Shivambu, a Mechanical Engineering graduate and IEPA Assessment Manager, completed her skills programme in 2019-2020 as a step towards her international certification as a Certified Energy Auditor (CEA®) and a Certified Energy Manager (CEM®) by the Association of Energy Engineers®. She demonstrated energy auditing tools – from ultrasonic leak detectors to lux meters – and explained their relevance in Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) compliance. Phetahunddi Beauty Tau, a graduate of the EPC Practitioner Skills Programme under the UNDP/EWSETA Mpumalanga Programme, shared how the experience opened new doors for her in the energy sector. Having completed her training at Nkangala TVET College, she looks forward to expanding her skills in energy auditing and helping companies align with compliance and energy goals. “My future is exciting. I’ve opened doors in energy and I’m just getting started,” she said.

30 Electricity + Control AUGUST 2025