Jewellery students get a boost

Rustenburg – Students and emerging entrepreneurs attended the re-launch of the Platinum Incubator at the Orbit TVET College in Rustenburg on Thursday, 26 April.

The event was addressed by the deputy minister of the department of small business development, Cassel Mathale.

The Platinum Incubator (TPI), previously known as Seda Platinum Incubator offers tenant enterprises and training centre students access to machinery. They also provide infrastructure, equipment and facilities for jewellery design and manufacturing.

The project seeks to actively promote and encourage young inventors, chemists, engineers, scientists, technicians, designers and entrepreneurs to use platinum group metals (PGMs) in new and exciting ways that will ultimately benefit all stakeholders.

Since opening its doors to Rustenburg in 2007, TPI has mentored and assisted 135 talented young people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to realise their dreams of becoming jewellery designers and manufacturers.

The college offers a national certificate in jewellery manufacturing in a mass production environment. This certificate is an accredited NQF level 3 certificate. The course syllabus is based on jewellery industry-related projects.

In addition, students can be tutored and advised by experienced mentors in the trade while involved in learnerships organised by the TPI with local manufacturers and tenants in the centre.