A recent presentation by Gift Molokwane of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) provided a comprehensive overview of a report on the state of training for refrigeration and air conditioning (HVAC&R) technicians in South Africa. This is Part 2 of a four-part article.

Natasha Kochova. Project manager at UNIDO which sponsored the event.

Natasha Kochova. Project manager at UNIDO which sponsored the event. © RACA Journal

…continued from Part 1.

The visits covered TVET colleges and training centres in the provinces, with a particular focus on understanding the status of HVAC&R training across different regions.

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN): Among the two private training centres visited, both were offering HVAC&R training. However, other institutions in the province were still in the process of obtaining accreditation from the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO).

Mpumalanga: The region had two public TVET colleges, one of which was actively providing HVAC&R training. Notably, this college had a partnership with Samsung for commercial air conditioning services.

Gauteng: The team visited three public and two private institutions. Of these, only one public and one private centre were offering HVAC&R training. The team will continue to engage with more institutions in Gauteng to assess their offerings.

Western Cape: Out of the two private training centres visited, one offered HVAC&R training, while the other did not.

North West: Four institutions were visited, none of which provided HVAC&R training. One centre was in the process of applying for accreditation through QCTO.

Eastern Cape: Three public TVET colleges were visited. Only one offered HVAC&R training, focusing on automotive air conditioning.

Limpopo: Two institutions were assessed, with only one offering HVAC&R training. The other was not yet providing such courses.

Out of 29 institutions visited, 15 were public TVET colleges, and 14 were private training centres. Among these:

  • 12 TVET colleges (both public and private) were offering HVAC&R training
  • 14 institutions were not providing HVAC&R training
  • 3 institutions were focusing on automotive air conditioning

Challenges identified

The assessment highlighted several challenges affecting the HVAC&R training sector:

  • Many public TVET colleges lacked adequate workshops for hands-on training in refrigeration and air conditioning
  • There was a notable low intake of students into HVAC&R programmes, impacting on the future availability of qualified technicians
  • Both public and private institutions reported inadequate funding and lack of modern equipment, hindering effective training
  • Limited collaboration between public and private training centres was noted, which could impede the sharing of resources and knowledge
  • There was a general lack of awareness and information about the HVAC&R field, which affects student interest and enrollment
  • Based on the findings, several key recommendations were made:
  • TVET colleges and training centres should consider adopting the National Safe Refrigeration Curriculum to standardise and improve training quality
  • Institutions should nominate their staff for ‘train-the-trainer’ workshops to ensure that lecturers are up-to-date with the latest HVAC&R skills and technologies
  • Encourage gender balance in both student enrollment and staff appointments to foster diversity in the HVAC&R field
  • Strengthen partnerships between public and private institutions to improve resource sharing and practical training opportunities
  • Seek additional funding and support to upgrade facilities and acquire necessary equipment for effective training

Continued in Part 3…