Ten learners living with disabilities are about to enter the workforce after successfully completing their learnership programme sponsored by Traxtion.
These learners were the third group of students living with disabilities who completed the programme run by Guest Resources Services on behalf of Traxtion, explains Nnoni Mokgethi, Brand, Communications and Marketing Manager at Traxtion.
“This learnership equips people living with disabilities with the skills that make them more job ready. We undertook the programme six years ago to make a meaningful impact in the communities we work in, but the programme has not been without its challenges,” Mokgethi says.
In 2023, the programme experienced a high attrition rate due to most students leaving the programme for alternative programme promising better subsistence offers and the others attaining permanent employment – a most welcomed development.
Pretty Mazibuko (27), from Soshanguvhe in Pretoria and who is partially sighted, is one of the students that joined and completed the Traxtion-sponsored learnership programme in 2023. She completed the Business Administration NQF2 qualification in September and is due to graduate in 2024 once external moderation is competed with Services SETA.
I believe that acquiring the qualification will give me the chance to use my knowledge and skills for future employment. The programme has benefited me because I am now able to make informed decisions about my career and further career moves.
The programme also allowed Mazibuko to acquire workplace experience and collaborate with others. “My future goals involve growing with a company where I can continue to learn, take on additional responsibilities, and contribute as much value as I can.”
Dr Wilma Guest-Mouton, from Guest Resource Services, explains the purpose of the programme:
This learnership is to teach participants a specific set of skills and assist them to achieve a National Certificate. Learnerships include Business Administrative skills and End User computer skills. We specialise in life-skills training and strive to take learners from self-knowledge to self-responsibility.
Guest-Mouton says the learnership is for people living with disabilities such as physical disabilities, visually impaired learners, and slow learners. The programme is open to people of all ages and a learnership leads to a full qualification which learners can complete on different NQF levels.
Traxtion is once again sponsoring a group of learners for this next programme, says Mokgethi. The intake comes just ahead of National Disability Rights Awareness Day on December 3.
Traxtion pays for these learnerships plus a monthly stipend for basic living expenses. “Traxtion’s reason for starting this programme is that we understand our limitations, due to the technical nature of our business, to hire a lot of people living with disabilities, but through this programme, we can help upskill these learners, thereby ensuring that they are ready to take up opportunities available in the market.,” she says.
Mokgethi says the applications for the next programme are now open and interested parties can go to guestresources.co.za for more information.
