Western TVET CollegeWestcol

Western TVET College, known as Westcol, is a public technical and vocational education and training college on Gauteng's West Rand. It is one of the 50 public TVET colleges that fall under the Department of Higher Education and Training, and it runs under the Continuing Education and Training Act 16 of 2006. The college was formed in 2002, when the Carletonville and Randfontein technical colleges merged, and it added the two Krugersdorp campuses in 2004 and a satellite campus in Westonaria in 2015. Its hairdressing programme carries accreditation from the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations.

Teaching is in person, at the campuses. The head office and one campus are in Randfontein, with further campuses in Krugersdorp, Krugersdorp West, Carletonville and Westonaria. Full-time students attend morning or afternoon classes, and Report 191 subjects can also be taken part-time in the evenings. There is no distance or fully online study; online services cover applications and placement tests only.

There are three main routes. The National Certificate (Vocational) runs over Levels 2, 3 and 4 in fields such as engineering, finance and hospitality. The Report 191 programmes run from N1 to N6 in engineering studies and from N4 to N6 in business studies, in areas such as financial management, human resources, marketing and tourism. The third route is occupational training, where three-year occupational certificates lead to trades such as electrician, welder, fitter and turner, chef and hairdresser. A one-year pre-vocational programme prepares learners who are not yet ready for NC(V).

Entry depends on the route. NC(V) Level 2 asks for at least a Grade 9 pass with set marks in English and Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy. N4 programmes ask for Grade 12, an NC(V) Level 4 certificate or an equivalent Level 4 qualification, with subject requirements per programme. Every new applicant creates a profile online, completes a compulsory career screening and placement assessment, and then submits an online application with an ID, school results and proof of residence.

Intakes follow the programme. NC(V) takes one intake a year, business studies runs in semesters and engineering studies in trimesters. Fees are set per programme, with no application fee. Students without funding pay a deposit at registration and can use instalment plans, while South African students in financial need can apply to NSFAS for the DHET TVET bursary, which can cover tuition, transport, accommodation and personal care.