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Johannesburg - The Western Cape has to ensure that its best skills and capital stay in the province so it becomes one of the best places to invest, Premier Helen Zille said on Tuesday.
"An adequate skills base is a key factor to having an enabling business environment, and that is why effective skills development... is essential," Zille said in a statement.
"We have to forecast where growth and investment are likely to happen in the next few years and the government then has to see what it can do to help meet the needs of investors and the requirements for growth.
This was Zille's message at the Premier's Council on Skills (PCS) symposium in Bellville on Tuesday.
She said job-creating growth was the top priority in the province.
There were three key ingredients for inclusive growth: investment-driven economic growth; high-quality education and skills training, especially in poor communities; and a functional justice system, said Zille.
Western Cape finance, economic development and tourism MEC Alan Winde said there had been a drop in the demand for unskilled labour and increased demand for semi-skilled labour.
"Essentially, we are currently preparing learners for jobs that don’t yet exist," he said.
"One of the key recruitment requirements of business is work experience, and the Western Cape government is already playing a facilitative role."
This was through its work and skills programme and the premier's advancement of youth project, which gave young people on-the-job training and work experience.
