Vocational Training
If Deaf children are to become mature, self-reliant, respected members of the community, vocational training, besides education, is vital.
On average 40 students participate in vocational training. Trades taught are: weaving, sewing and embroidery; carpentry, car mechanics and metal work; childcare, earmould manufacture, pottery and mosaic work. The institute hopes to increase the number of trades that are taught.
Most of the available trades focus on manual work, but the institute provides training in computer skills as well and hopes to develop this further. Approximately 60% of the instructors in vocational training and a number of teachers are themselves Deaf. The institute is in the process of appointing more qualified deaf schoolteachers to be able to adequately apply the method of sign / bi-lingual education.
Vocational skills enable Deaf young people to compete successfully for employment opportunities. The capacity to gain employment and be financially independent plays a key role in raising deaf awareness and securing equal rights for all. The fact that among deaf people with good vocational training the rate of unemployment is far below the national average, speaks for the success of the programme.