TVET leaders’ role in career sponsorship for lecturers’ advancement: Insights from South African colleges

This qualitative study explores the role of TVET leaders in enabling career development through sponsorship. Drawing on an inductive approach and a case study design, this study captures Heads of Departments’ and lecturers’ perspectives on TVET leaders’ suitability to provide career sponsorship. The social capital theory of career success, the social exchange theory, and Ang’s sponsorship model were used to provide context and perspective in this study. Semi-structured interviews with 20 participants (6 TVET HODs and 14 lecturers) were conducted across 6 public TVET colleges in South Africa. Transcripts were uploaded onto ATLAS.ti software. Data from the transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal a dual narrative: while HODs occupy strategically influential positions and display latent capabilities that could enable meaningful career sponsorship, their ability to actualise this role is significantly constrained. TVET leaders were found to be under-resourced, insufficiently supported, inadequately trained, and lacking in essential leadership competencies and well-being. These limitations weaken trust, restrict reciprocal professional relationships, and ultimately hinder the institutionalisation of career sponsorship practices. This study recommends the urgent professionalisation of TVET leadership, including structured leadership development, improved resourcing, and policy mechanisms that formalise sponsorship as a human resource development strategy. Strengthening leadership capacity and embedding sponsorship practices could enhance lecturers’ morale, retention, and career progression, improve organisational performance, and contribute to a more robust and competitive TVET sector Key Words:leadership styles, career sponsorship, head of department, leadership development