Perhaps Northlink College’s name holds a clue to its purpose. It is situated in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs. It links them together.
Northlink College was established in 2002. This followed the merging of four colleges. These were Wingfield Technical College, Tygerberg College, Bellville Technical College and Belhar College. Belhar College was a private institution. Northlink bought it in 2005.
Northlink College is a higher education institution. The South African Government decided to merge the four colleges. Northlink College is fully accredited. The Council on Higher Education assures its quality. The Department of Higher Education and Training also assures it.
Leon Beeck is the principal. Northlink College has several campuses. They are in Belhar, Goodwood, Parow, Protea, Tygerberg and Wingfield. The main campus is on Voortrekker Road in Bellville.
Northlink College offers undergraduate tertiary qualifications. The college partners with various organizations. In 2015, student numbers exceeded 10 000.
Northlink College is innovative in meeting skills needs. Northlink developed a Simulated Enterprise in 1999. This is a mock company. The Parow campus hosted Northlink’s first SE. It mirrored a courier company. Skynet WorldWide Express mentored it. In 2006, a grant launched a soft drink SE. This came from the Western Cape government’s Ikapa Ilihlumayo Development Fund.
Northlink College established the Northlink Golf School in 2000. It offers three programmes. There is an academic programme. There is also the Golf School of Excellence. Also, there is the PGA Club Professional Golfing Diploma. The objectives are to prepare top players. They will play professional golf. The school also trains golf coaches. Three students won the World Student Golf Championship in 2004.
Northlink College has three business units. These are Hair and Cosmetology and the Clothing Factory. A Restaurant and Conference Centre is also included. Northlink was the first college in the Western Cape. It was the second in South Africa. It implemented the Integrated Tertiary Software Administration System in 2005.
Northlink College offers many courses. They include Accounting, Administration, and Arts. Also, they include Beverage Studies and Building and Construction. Furthermore, there are Business, Cosmetology and Design courses. Economics, Engineering and Fashion courses are also offered. Finance and Banking, Food and Nutrition, and Health courses exist. Hospitality, International Relations, and Management are offered. Moreover, Marketing, Multimedia Technology and Sociology are available. Sports, Technology, and Tourism are also part of the range.
The actor Theodore Jantjies is an alumnus. Northlink College links education and work. It is positioned in Cape Town’s northern suburbs. Northlink College is more than just an institution. It is a vital link.