By Naushad Khan
The Grand Parade in Cape Town became a major hub of youth engagement, career guidance and skills development this week as the PSET on Wheels activation brought together leading stakeholders from South Africa’s higher education and training sector in support of the Department of Higher Education and Training’s 2026 Budget Vote.
Hosted alongside Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela’s Budget Vote address in Parliament, the large-scale public activation transformed the historic civic space into an interactive platform connecting communities directly with education, training and employment pathways. SETAs, TVET colleges, universities, employers and skills development organisations participated through exhibitions, demonstrations, career guidance sessions and workplace readiness support.
Minister Manamela, accompanied by Deputy Ministers Dr Mimmy Gondwe and Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube, spent time engaging directly with exhibitors, students and members of the public following the parliamentary proceedings. The activation created a visible public extension of the Budget Vote themes focused on youth empowerment, workplace readiness and expanding access to post-school opportunities.
In recent public remarks linked to the Budget Vote, Manamela stressed the need for practical delivery within the sector, stating that government wanted “evidence” of impact in skills development and employment creation rather than “PowerPoint presentations.” He also highlighted the importance of scaling programmes that connect young people directly to work opportunities and occupational pathways.
The activation featured career guidance zones, occupational qualification showcases, digital registration opportunities, podcast activations, employer engagement sessions and live media interactions. Young people were able to access information on learnerships, internships, bursaries and artisan development programmes while engaging directly with institutions and employers.
Organisers positioned the activation as more than a traditional exhibition, describing it as a public opportunity platform designed to bring the post-school education and training ecosystem directly into communities. The Grand Parade venue also carried symbolic significance, linking youth empowerment and access to education with one of South Africa’s most historically important democratic spaces.
The event formed part of a broader national effort to improve public awareness around occupational qualifications, workplace-integrated learning and economic participation opportunities for young people. Stakeholders from across the education and training sector described the activation as an important example of integrated public engagement and collaboration.
With strong public participation and sector-wide involvement, discussions are already underway around expanding the PSET on Wheels concept into a recurring national activation platform aimed at improving access to education, skills development and employment pathways across South Africa.
