MEDIA RELEASE
SANRAL TRAINING PROGRAMME REAPS REWARDS FOR KZN STUDENTS ON N3 DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
SANRAL Board Members with the young people who participated in the CSDG training programme
Pietermaritzburg, 20 May 2024 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited’s (SANRAL) ongoing training programmes are a step in the right direction in becoming one of the country’s solutions to ameliorate the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality among young people, said SANRAL Board Chairperson Themba Mhambi.
Mr Mhambi was speaking at a certificate award ceremony which took place in Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal, of young people who worked on the Cato Ridge component of SANRAL’s major N3 development project yesterday (Monday).
“SANRAL alone spends over R1bn on training and development programmes of young people. One of our immediate priorities is to ensure that our training programmes are properly integrated and monitored, so that we get more value on every cent that we spend on the programmes that we initiate. One of the key outcomes of this priority is to ensure that young people get accredited certificates on their training programmes, which will assist and allow them to play a contributing role in the development of our society and economy,” said Mr Mhambi.
Through the Contract Skills Development Goal (CSDG) training programme on the N3 development project, which SANRAL has embarked on in partnership with Raubexn Construction, and engineering consulting companies Corabrand, Nyeleti, and GIBB, young people who have participated in the programme have honed the necessary skills and training that will help them in furthering their careers.
Some of the initial recipients of the training programme have gone to establish their own businesses and others have been employed by various contractors that are currently undertaking work on the N3 development project.
“The training programme is offered on site to allow unemployed graduates to complete their work integrated learning and to eventually register as professionals in the construction industry. This mentoring programme has targeted not just technical development, but also personal and professional development, which we believe will build a strong foundation for these young people, as well as for the industry,” said Dumisani Nkabinde, SANRAL’s Chief Construction Operations and Maintenance Engineer.
Echoing Nkabinde’s sentiments, SANRAL Board Member Refilwe Buthelezi stressed the importance of mentoring young people. “I encourage young people among us to seek mentors who will be role models that they will emulate. These mentors will coach them in building themselves, find guidance and excel in their career development.”
“This programme has demonstrated the power of engineering to only solve problems, but to also empower and inspire our communities. We hope that this programme will not only encourage students to apply for jobs, but to inspire themselves to be entrepreneurs. This would require for them to lead and see opportunities, face those opportunities and find solutions to the problems that it faces,” added Buthelezi.
Princess Mtuli, one of the students who benefitted from the programme, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the programme. “Guidance from SANRAL has assisted us in not only learning about site preparation and gaining hands-on experience in other aspects of construction, but it has also helped us in learning about teamwork.”
“Through this programme, we have also learnt important skills such as quality assurance and understanding the high standards that are imposed by the construction industry. One of the significant takeaways from this programme is an emphasis on health and safety, which is a fundamental aspect of construction. Certainly, the skills we gained will enable us to further play a critical role in the development of the industry,” said Mtuli.
Malaika Ahiwe, another student who benefitted from the programme, agrees. “This programme has immensely contributed to my personal and professional development. My journey on this programme has been filled with growth, challenges and victories that will carry me throughout my career. The experience that I have gained has been life changing; it has opened my eyes, and I have been exposed to the various aspects of the construction industry. I can now say that I am ‘consciously competent’ because I’ve learned to work in a multidisciplinary environment, I’ve built my confidence, resilience and I now have a sense of purpose. Working on this programme has been a foundation for everything I hope to achieve in my career going forward,” said Ahiwe.
The first intake of the CSDG training programme started in October 2022 with 23 students. The 23 students were then supplemented with a further 17 students over three months and, by January 2023, there were 40 students on the programme. With a further intake of another 40 students, the total number increased to 80 students in the Cato Ridge component of the N3 development project.
In a country that experiences high levels of youth unemployment, the CSDG programme alone has seen almost 800 young people participate.
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