Bedryfservaring in Kledingprogramme aan die Kaapse Technikon

Abstract

This study investigates the industry component of cooperative education programmes in Clothing as offered by the Clothing Department at the Cape Technikon relevant to the Western Cape. The character and nature of co-operative education came under general scrutiny. The structure of any cooperative educational program consists of two components; the academic and the industry component. Within this structure, a few attendance patterns are used to employ students in industry. This employment of students bridges the gap between the academic component and practice. The co-ordinator of co-operative education is responsible for the supervision over and application of specific tasks to ensure the successful completion of the industry component. The professional tasks include the identification and recruiting of workstations, the placement of students, the orientation of both the employer and student, the monitoring of the students' progress, as well as the evaluation of the students' work. The important role of the advisory committee cannot be underestimated in order to ensure successful completion of the co-operative educational programs. It should be properly constituted with specific functions with regards to the industry component. A qualitative study was undertaken to describe the course of the current industry experience in Clothing at the Cape Technikon. Discussion forums, personal interviews and a literature study serve as the foundation of this investigation.