The corporate social responsibility arm of consulting engineering firm Bosch Holdings, Bosch Ulwazi has offered 200 unemployed young people in Peddie, in the Eastern Cape, jobs focusing on construction at one of its projects.
This programme is a partnership between the Local Government Sector
Education Training Authority (LGSETA) as the funder, the local municipality as
the employer and Bosch Ulwazi as the training provider.
Bosch Ulwazi MD Balan
Govender explains that the 12-month learnership in construction, is
a combination of classroom-based training, integrated with construction-related
simulations, which culminates in a NQF-registered qualification.
“The work-based learning curriculum will prepare learners for work
placements on construction sites within the local municipality of Ngqushwa,”
says Govender.
To date, 50 learners have completed the programme and are waiting for
final moderation from LGSETA. A further 150 learners are in the third month of
the road construction and supervision programme.
“Our primary aim is to address the gap between the current education and
training provided and the growing needs of the labour market. We believe
education is central to skills upliftment in South Africa and we are proud to
support the development of many deserving learners who are unable to further
their education because of financial restraints,” highlights Govender.
To facilitate the running of a cost-effective training programme in the
remote town of Peddie, facilitators and mentors from Bosch Ulwazi have
relocated to temporarily reside among the community for the duration of the
learnership programme.
Bosch Ulwazi’s training services, which are offered around the country,
are designed to develop the skills of unemployed youth. Accredited programmes
such as these assist young South Africans to find employment and ultimately
empower communities into small enterprise development.
Last month, Bosch Holdings – the holding company for both Bosch Projects
and Bosch Ulwazi
– was named a runner-up in the category of Nation-builder at the 2019
Absa Business Day Supplier Development Awards.
Bosch Holdings was listed as one of 14 finalists selected from over 400
entrants – from private and public sector enterprises – which showcased
supplier development initiatives and their positive impact in healthcare,
mining, manufacturing and the built environment.
The Nation-builder Award recognises initiatives that are achieving
exceptional results in supporting and growing non-traditional suppliers. These
initiatives involve youth, black women and those in rural areas or areas with
few alternative opportunities, with scarce skills not readily available in
previously disadvantaged communities of South Africa being bought to bear.
“Bosch Holdings has taken critical steps to decrease the drastic skills
shortages in our country, through the establishment of Bosch Ulwazi, which
facilitates the advancement of engineering skills,” says Govender.
Bosch Ulwazi, which marks its tenth anniversary this year, mentor’s engineers and project managers to achieve professional registration with regulatory bodies. The company provides a range of technical skills solutions to public and corporate client organisations that employ graduate engineers, technologists and project managers, who are candidates for professional registration.https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/consulting-company-recognised-for-community-upliftment-project-2019-06-28
