Limpopo to host the NTCE

Limpopo

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Fish Mahlalela, has announced that Limpopo Province will be hosting the National Tourism Career Expo (NTCE) for the next years.

Mahlalela made the announcement during the Africa Travel Indaba held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal Province recently.

During the announcement Mahlalela officially handed-over the NTCE hosting responsibilities from Gauteng Province to Limpopo Province.

The two provinces agreed to use the Africa Travel Indaba as a platform to do an official hand-over after Gauteng Province’s term of hosting the flagship event ended. Limpopo Tourism Agency (LTA), which has been appointed as the fund manager of the national flagship event, and Gauteng Tourism Agency (GTA), have both been represented by their boards. 

The NTCE flagship event is set to be attended by over 6 000 learners and educators coming from all the provinces. The event will be held in September 2024 at the new Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

The event will be preceded by the launch anticipated to be held in August 2024. Polokwane Municipality as a stakeholder, will provide venue and infrastructure for free in support of this event.

Outlining the purpose of the event, Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sports Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) CEO, Marks Thibela, said his organization is duty bound to support the initiative by facilitating skills development in all the six subsectors of the industry.

“With unemployment of 32.9% in the country, we really have to intensify skills development training,” said Thibela.  

MEC for Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET), Rodgers Monama, said the province had participated fully in national events and initiatives and further implemented provincial versions of national activities.

“Recently, the province has hosted Limpopo Tourism & Environment Careers Expo (LTCE) from the 26 April to the 03 May 2024. We had over 2000 leaners taking part in this prestigious event including TVET college students and educator’s seminar. The LTCE is incorporated into the annual Marula Festival Trade Fair Programme to give exposure to the leaners on the career opportunities available in the sector. We have participated in the NTCE since its inception, and we have participated in the schools’ competition.  We were and remain fortunate that we always bring home a prize every year,” informed Monana.

He added that in 2022, Limpopo came back home having obtained second position and last year 2023 they won the biggest of them being awarded an accolade for being the Province of Year.

“The LTCE is incorporated into the annual Marula Festival Trade Fair Programme to give exposure to the leaners on the career opportunities available in the sector,” said Monama.

In his remarks, Deputy Minister Mahlalela, said the purpose of the NTCE is to bridge the information gap between industry, government, learners and educators.

“The main aim of the NTCE is to promote tourism as a career, profession and business of choice targeting learners from high schools, TVET Colleges and University students, out of school youth and unemployed tourism graduates. The Department of Tourism through its Tourism National Tourism Sector Strategy has, amongst others, identified a need to address skills shortages in the tourism sector by training and building capacity of unemployed youth and graduates in especially critical and scarce skills in the hospitality and tourism services sector. Hence, the NTCE was birthed to intentionally create a talent of pool for the sector,” he said.  

Inversely, Mahlalela said the NTCE becomes a platform where the tourism industry can sell itself as a business and employer of choice, as they interact with young people through exhibitions, as speakers and on other interactive platforms hosted at the event.

“The purpose of the NTCE 2024 is to provide a platform for the sector to create awareness on the available careers and professional opportunities in the tourism industry, and give learners an opportunity to interact with their potential employers. The primary target groups include high school learners from grade 9 to grade 12, TVET College students, university students, educators and unemployed tourism graduates,” said Mahlalela.