South Africa’s transition to cleaner, affordable and more sustainable energy will only succeed if the country develops the skills required to power new industries and ensure young people are not left behind. Acting Director-General of Higher Education and Training, Thembisa Futshane, made the remarks during Climate Talk 2025 held in Pretoria.
Held under the theme: “Powering Possibility: Jobs and Innovation in South Africa’s Just Energy Future”, the event, hosted by the German Embassy, brought together young South Africans in an exchange with industry voices and innovators, to a dynamic dialogue on how the energy transition can unlock new pathways for skills development, investment, and inclusive growth.
Meaningful participation
Futshane said the energy transition is already shaping South Africa’s economy, and will determine the skills young people need; jobs they can access, and communities that will benefit.
“The energy transition is not a distant policy debate. It is already shaping the economy our young people will inherit,” she said.
Futshane thanked the Government of Germany for its long-standing cooperation with South Africa, including technical and capacity-building support from the German development agency (GIZ) and financial assistance from KFW Development Bank to the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector.
These partnerships, she said, have strengthened curriculum development, lecturer training, equipment support and workplace exposure, all crucial for preparing young people for meaningful participation in the emerging green economy.
Futshane also commended industry partners, including BMW, Siemens, Siemens Energy, Bosch, Festo Didactics and the uYilo eMobility Programme for investing in South Africa’s emerging workforce. through training partnerships, internships, workplace exposure, research collaboration and equipment support.
She emphasised that the Just Energy Transition is not only a government responsibility, but a shared endeavour, where industry plays a critical role in shaping skills, creating jobs and “opening pathways for young people into the green and digital economy.”
“A transition cannot be considered 'just' if it leaves people behind, or if those who carried the burden of the old energy system cannot benefit from the new one. This is where the skills system becomes central.
“The transition to cleaner, accessible and more affordable energy requires a whole ecosystem of new competencies across construction, maintenance, digitalisation, community engagement and entrepreneurship,” the Acting Director-General said.
In the last few years, the Department of Higher Education and Training has worked closely with a wide range of partners, including Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), the private sector, civil society, and international partners, to strengthen the skills pipeline that supports the energy transition.
Key efforts include revising curricula to include renewable energy and energy efficiency, upgrading college equipment, supporting lecturer development and providing training equipment in selected colleges, expanding recognition of prior learning and piloting community-based skilling programmes.
Futshane also highlighted the establishment of the Just Energy Transition (JET) Skills Desk, a dedicated unit within the department, which is strengthening coordination across government, SETAs, training institutions and development partners to ensure the country’s skills system is fully aligned with the needs of the Just Energy Transition.
“Its work helps us move from policy to implementation, ensuring that the transition truly delivers opportunities for our people.”
Coal phase-down
Support for communities affected by coal phase-down
She also emphasised the need for the government to support communities affected by coal phase-down, including workers in labour-sending areas, informal settlements around power stations and former coal-mining towns.
A just transition, she said, must ensure that workers are not abandoned as industries change, communities are included in decision-making, and training opportunities are accessible and relevant.
“A Just Transition means that public investment reaches the people who need it most [and] no one is asked to sacrifice their livelihood for a transition from which they do not benefit.”
Futshane urged young people to take advantage of the opportunities emerging in the green economy, calling the energy transition “your generation’s opportunity to shape the world you want to live in.”
She encouraged educators to continue innovating and to align training with industry needs and urged business partners to keep opening doors for young people through collaboration and skills development.
“Let us ensure that the energy transition becomes not only a technical achievement but a national project of justice and opportunity,” she said.
