The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition to Host Workplace Challenge Programme Workshop in Gauteng

Pretoria, 22 July 2024 – The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), in collaboration with the Gauteng Department of Economic Development and Productivity SA, is set to host a significant milestone workshop for the Workplace Challenge Programme (WPC). The event will take place at The Innovation Hub in Pretoria on Wednesday, 24 July 2024, starting at 10:00.

Under the theme “Productivity is Key to Unlocking our Potential, Achieving our Goals, and Living a Fulfilling Life,” the workshop aims to gather various stakeholders, programme beneficiaries, and local business representatives. Attendees will share insights and achievements from the WPC’s implementation and discuss future directions. Business representatives participating in the programme will also highlight the impact of the WPC on their enterprises.

The Workplace Challenge Programme focuses on enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of South African enterprises and sectors. It achieves this through improved value chain efficiencies, support for enterprises in clusters for industrial competitiveness, continuous improvement processes, and skills development facilitation.

Housed within Productivity SA’s Competitiveness Improvement Services (CIS) Unit, the WPC Programme seeks to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and sustainable enterprises. This initiative contributes to inclusive growth, job preservation, and the creation of productive employment and decent work.

Additionally, the workshop will feature the latest roll-out of the Quality and Productivity Improvement/Kaizen SA Programme. This initiative promotes QPI techniques to develop practical know-how and hands-on skills.

Since 2019, the WPC Programme has supported over 100 companies employing more than 2,000 employees in Gauteng. In the 2023-2024 financial year alone, 102 enterprises received support, with 76% being black-owned, 46% women-owned, and 19% youth-owned. The programme also aided enterprises within Special Economic Zones (SEZs), industrial parks, and those linked to sector master plans.

For more information about the workshop and the WPC Programme, please contact the dtic or Productivity SA.