Pretoria - South Africa is set to launch a social work exchange programme in partnership with a skills development agency from the United Kingdom on Thursday.
The programme - which is a collaboration between the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) and UK-based Skills for Care - is a joint initiative involving research and exchange of social workers in England and South Africa through the two skills development agencies.
Among others, findings from the programme will inform skills development strategies both in the workplace and educational institutions within each country.
Professionals from England arrived in South Africa on 29 January to pair with eight selected social work professionals from South Africa to start their local research. The South African social work professionals will visit the UK for two weeks in March.
Social work remains a scarce skill in South Africa and has in the recent past been experiencing skills flight from the country to other countries that offer lucrative salary packages.
Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini is expected to give the keynote address at tomorrow's event.
