Shedding light on vocational education

The release of a vocational pedadogy report which is set in a South African context, has helped to define vocational education. In the wake of the report educational specialists have met to further define the challenges surrounding vocational teaching.
With reference to the How to teach vocational education: A theory of vocational pedagogy report Amanuel Garza, from JET Education Services shared his insights.
He emphasized the point that vocational pedagogy needs to be owned by the sector, rather than borrowed from general education.
He highlighted that people working in vocational sectors need the routine expertise to deal with everyday problems; the resourcefulness to solve trickier problems; the functional literacies to explain their solutions to customers; the professional attitudes to do so in a way that values the customer; the craftsman’s desire to do a job well; and the wider skills for growth to innovate for future solutions.
Peliwe Lolwana, Professor at the University of Witwatersrand and the Chairperson of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), emphasised that vocational pedagogy has an important role to play in achieving quality.
She also said that although the report offers a model for vocational teaching that there are elements which need to be discussed in more detail.The research needs more debate to improve vocational teaching and learning and that vocational training programmes should be characterised by learning with a clear line of sight to work.
Volker Wedekindfrom the University of KwaZulu-Natal said that the report was accessible, with useful frameworks for application and that it recognises the complexity of vocational teaching and learning.
He suggested that all policy makers in vocational education be involved in a rigorous debate about vocational pedagogy in South Africa.
Volker Wedekind, from the University of KwaZulu-Natal Chris Brinkfrom Tshwane North Collegesaid that: “It is so important that we prepare learners for the lives they are going to lead beyond the College environment.
The seminar raised the awareness of vocational education’s importance to the South African economy and the development of a highly skilled workforce. Vocational education needs to be high-status and valued to ensure high quality teaching. The City & Guilds report stimulate challenging conversations about vocational pedagogy in South Africa”
Louis Coetzer from Westcol and Chris Brink from Tshwane North College Orenna Krut,Director: Africa for City &Guilds said that the country needs to focus on high-quality vocational education that meets employers’ needs to ensure a skilled workforce. This is a critical time for South Africa as there will be a greater need for skilled individuals, and vocational education has a clear role to play.

Let us help business make business

Business networking is a socioeconomic business activity by which groups of like-minded businesspeople recognize, create, or act upon business opportunities. A business network is a type of business social network whose reason for existing is business activity. There are several prominent business networking organizations that create models of business networking activity that, when followed, allow the business person to build new business relationships and generate business opportunities at the same time. A professional network service is an implementation of information technology in support of business networking. Many businesspeople contend business networking is a more cost-effective method of generating new business than advertising or public relations efforts. This is because business networking is a low-cost activity that involves more personal commitment than company money.

Professionals who wish to leverage their business presentation skills with the urgency of physically being present attend general and exclusive business events. Many business professionals tend to prefer face-to-face business networking over online based networking because the potential for higher quality business relationships are possible. Many business people also prefer face-to-face because business people tend to prefer actually knowing and meeting whom they intend to do business with.
Face to face business networking is often facilitated by referral business networking clubs.

2014 will present an opportunity for you to be part of such a great and fruitful journey. More details to follow.

Complements and let's get back to work...

It is the beginning of a new year and we still pushing the same passion. I would like to remind you that in the race for quality there is now finish line. During the festive season I spent most of my time at home reading all I could read on new and upcoming trends and found that the was almost nothing new. Thanks to a couple of articles written by Dion Chang - innovator, creative thinker and visionary - is a sought-after trend analyst and the list goes on and on and on. in one of the interviews he had he mentions that while some ideas are thought of as awry, they should rather be reviewed instead. 


In this post we encourage all the businesses that have trashed many wonderful yet not well executed ideas, to go back and review the ideas and find ways to make them work. On one of the articles that I read, Dion Chang went on to state how our technological environment continues to grow and becomes more innovative. Modern day technology continues to simplify our lives, businesses and the information around us. I think it is that time where we should bring all those ideas that many found as preposterous and bring them back to surface and maybe with the help of modern technology, they might be then next best innovative idea that could make you a billionaire.


Enough said about business. Here are some few new latest gadgets and appliances to have in our modern homes.
 For those who are always late for the office. 

I.pad Alarm Clock

Brookstone Clock

                          Latest Home Trends


Everyone seems to be going green lately and this is a definite must have for every home, although this might come in as expensive in the beginning later you will be enjoying the benefits and spoiling your self with something nice every now and then when doing some shopping after having paid the bills.

The modern person doesn’t necessarily enjoy cooking. In fact, some people can think of nothing worse then to get home from an 8 – 10 hour day and then still have to get stuck into a meal for your family. But there are ways to make cooking blissful rather than dismal – and one of them is to make your kitchen a place you want to be.

The firth thing to do is make sure youpurchase the best – and right – appliances for your kitchen. Since I’m an advocate for the green side of life, I feel I must suggest buying products that are environmentally friendly. Take, for instance, the Miele DGC 5080 XL Combi Oven and Steamer. This wonderful product has a cooking capacity of up to 39 litres, an oxygen sensor, climate sensor, wireless food probe, and adjustable timer. Delicious and well-cooked meals have never been more environmentally responsible.

It is suggested by many professionals – and common sense dictates – keeping your kitchen clean automatically makes it a better place to be. Owning appliances like dishwashers assists with the clean up.

If you are designing a new kitchen, make sure you consider three aspects: functionality, aesthetic appeal and budget.

• Make sure you purchase the appliances you know you will use  
• Have it designed to suit your taste – steel, chrome and black glass are three emerging trends people are going for, but some nicely, homely wood finishes are always a good choice too
• Make sure it is designed to suit your budget

There’s nothing better than playing with a new toy – make your kitchen the culinary playground and you’ll find things start to taste better, and meal time becomes a little more exciting.

For more, see page 148 of the December/January 2011 issue ofSA Home Owner to “get the scoop on today’s hottest ovens and stoves”

Happy new year from all of us Victor Kay Enterprises. Like we would always shout out - 
Express and Encapsulate your brand through your property design.


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Victor Kay Enterprises

Express and encapsulate your brand through your property design. Helping you Live in your Talk. The need for corporate identity has risen tremendously and, individuals as well as businesses take themselves so seriously, that they put great focus on the message they send out about themselves. Victor Kay Enterprises offers a design service for young, successful, quality conscious clients who seek assistance in expressing themselves through their living and working environment. We interpret the idea of corporate identity and personal identity through our services that are driven by self-expression. We assist our clients to encapsulate and express their personal brands through home and office decorative designs that communicate their beliefs and values. The experience we offer enables our clients to fully express and explore themselves in every detailed accessory and furniture piece; therefore giving every job we do a desired transformation in homes or business environments. Vision Victor Kay Enterprises aims to be the most recommended personal and corporate identity décor designer in the Southern African region.  We make provision of corporate and individual identity décor designs that will helps our customers express and be transparent about the message they want to send about themselves through their surroundings be it residential or commercial. Click on Our Website to view more.