FUNDI Training Centre refurbished for engineering artisans

GijimaAst and The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) have announced the launch of the refurbished FUNDI Training Centre in Benoni, which offers engineering training and certification in areas such as mechanical, electrical, welding, boilermaking as well as control and instrumentation.
As owners of the centre SEIFSA has made substantial and repeated capital investments in the Centre over the last few years to address the drastic skills shortage in South Africa.
As a result, the Centre?s engineering workshops and classrooms have undergone a complete overhaul and are now equipped with the latest technology and focused learning materials, as well as a newly built administration building to assist learners and apprentices more effectively.
GijimaAst is the official outsourcing partner for the Centre and facilitates the entire selection and training of apprentices, the co-ordination of practical workplace experience with various employers, as well as on-site testing and accreditation.
"Regulators, industry organisations, service providers and employers all have a critical role to play to advance skills development and training in the country. Often they need a partner like GijimaAst that can bring all the various parties together to optimise facilities and service delivery capability,' says Werner Guse, Business Unit executive: Human Capital Management Services, at GijimaAst.
This is clearly demonstrated by the activities of the centre since this model was adopted in 2004 - 988 young apprentices were enrolled at the centre and more than 770 trade tests were completed in this period.
Guse says the co-operation of SEIFSA, the Department of Labour and the Merseta has been particularly significant and they have been active partners in advocating and funding much-needed development programmes, such as the Accelerated Artisan Development Programme, at the Centre.
"When individual employers try to master the training and accreditation of artisans on their own they really only work in their interest and take up their own capacity without consideration of the bigger economy.
"We have a unique model where all the strengths of our different stakeholders are optimised to provide a fully-fledged training offering that meets the needs of the industry and addresses the many skills challenges the country face today,' he says.
The Centre is managed as a model workplace where learners are engaged in goal setting, safety, team work and workplace improvements, and are encouraged to take responsibility for these issues.
At the launch Guse applauded the employers that have made investments in overall skills development.
"We understand that you have made a long term commitment with a somewhat uncertain outcome. I believe your courage and vision will be greatly rewarded as your employees expand their abilities beyond this initial base and contribute to our national economy,' he concludes.