09 February 2026 - South Africa is taking a leading role in the global green economy through a new European Union (EU) partnership aimed at building a world-class battery raw materials value chain. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has been selected to drive the Team Europe Initiative (OP-VET), which will align skills development, industrial investment, and clean energy innovation to create jobs and unlock local economic value.
This initiative, born from the South Africa–EU Clean Trade and Investment Partnership, will equip youth and women with the skills needed for a sustainable, high-tech future, from mining and refining to recycling critical minerals. By linking education, industry, and innovation, South Africa is not just powering batteries it is powering a new era of green industrial growth and employment.
The initiative builds directly on the Clean Trade and Investment Partnership signed at the South Africa–European Union Leaders’ Summit on 20 November 2025, held ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. The partnership commits South Africa and the European Union to deepen cooperation across the extraction, processing, refining and recycling of critical raw materials, particularly for the battery value chain, while advancing decarbonisation, clean supply chains, and inclusive economic growth through investment, skills development and job creation.
The OP-VET project aims to strengthen the capacity of South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, as well as the broader skills development ecosystem to deliver demand-driven, employment-oriented training aligned to the critical minerals and battery value chain. By integrating industrial skills foresight, curriculum adaptation, lecturer upskilling and structured workplace learning, the project seeks to improve employability outcomes for youth and women, support industry access to a skilled workforce, and contribute to sustainable local value addition.
The expected impact includes improved alignment between industrial investment and skills demand and supply, increased absorption of graduates into decent work, and the institutionalisation of an opportunity-driven TVET model that can be replicated across other Global Gateway-linked sectors.
Key outcomes and deliverables of the project include the identification of priority occupational profiles and skills needs across the critical raw materials and battery value chain, led by the CSIR. In collaboration with consortium partners such as Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority and others, the project will support the demand-led co-development and accreditation of new or adapted occupational qualifications and short courses. TVET college capacity will be strengthened through train-the-trainer initiatives and targeted infrastructure support for technical workshops.
The project will also facilitate training, internships and Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) placements with private-sector partners, ensuring practical workplace exposure and clearer employment pathways for graduates. Additional deliverables include strengthened public–private partnerships, enhanced policy uptake through engagement with national institutions, and the development of a scalable model to support South Africa’s growing green industrial economy.
The CSIR’s participation in the TEI underscores South Africa’s growing role in the global green economy and reflects the shared commitment of the EU and South Africa to skills development, clean industrial growth and sustainable value chains. By linking education, industry and innovation, the project will not only enhance employment opportunities for youth and women but also establish a replicable, opportunity-driven model for TVET and workforce development across critical sectors, driving long-term economic and environmental benefits for the country.
Ends.
Issued by CSIR Strategic Communication
For enquiries, contact:
Phetolo Phatsibi: Media relations practitioner
Mobile: 081 396 8871
Email: pphatsibi@csir.co.za
About the CSIR:
The CSIR, an entity of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, is one of Africa’s leading organisations in scientific and technology research, development and implementation. Constituted by an Act of Parliament in 1945 as a science council, the CSIR undertakes directed and multidisciplinary research and technological innovation, as well as industrial and scientific development, to improve the quality of life of all South Africans.
Follow us on social media:
X: @CSIR. Facebook: CSIRSouthAfrica. Instagram: CSIRSouthAfrica. LinkedIn: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). YouTube: CSIRNewMedia