Students in the Western Cape are experiencing difficulty while searching for employment, especially in the current economic climate. However, the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute has become a beacon of hope that sets the foundation for graduates to find meaningful employment.
The institution, which was established in 1898, is situated near Stellenbosch and has left a lasting impact on the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, who noted that since 2017, 96% of winemaking graduates have been employed.
Students who have obtained a Bachelor of Agriculture qualification from the institution had an employment rate of 71% while 96% of those who studied winemaking, or Cellar Technology between 2017 and 2020 have found meaningful employment.
This remarkable achievement has led Elsenburg to find new ways to attract interest to this sector, even with the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the disruptions of climate change.
According to DA spokesperson on Agriculture & Environmental Affairs, Andricus van der Westhuizen, agriculture in the province supports 424 006 primary and secondary jobs in total.
“The DA in the Western Cape will continue to ensure that Elsenburg remains capacitated in its functions and that its ability in carrying out its mandate is not hindered,” he concludes in a press release.
Picture: Western Cape Government