The internship forms part of Gibela’s young talent development programme, which will be managed through the specialised training centre being built at the green train manufacturing plant in Dunnottar.
Gibela is under contract to PRASA, to build 600 new state-of-the-art commuter trains over the next 10 years for Metrorail, of which 580 will be built at the plant.
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The 22 successful interns, selected on their entrepreneurial and leadership qualities, will start their 12-month internship in February.
The contract is designed to give them work and workplace experience.
Buyiswa Mncono-Liwani, Gibela’s economic development director, says each intern will be assigned to an experienced mentor who will guide them in work-related issues, life coaching, career guidance and future employment opportunities within Gibela or externally.
The interns will receive a monthly salary.
This initiative forms part of Gibela’s commitment to transformation, specifically in respect of skills development and job creation, under the broader umbrella of economic development.
“Through this programme, we will assist graduates with practical exposure which will set the foundation for their careers and serve as a springboard for their future development,” says Mncono-Liwani.
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The training centre at the construction site is almost complete and the installation of steel for a number of the other buildings is progressing well.
Great emphais has been placed on ensuring those working on site are from communities adjacent to the plant. Currently 337 of the 471 people employed on site live in and around Ekurhuleni.
The training centre will be completed first, in order to prioritise the training of South African artisans and operators in readiness for when local train-manufacturing operations start.
Besides prioritising Gibela’s skilled employees, the training centre will also supply trained people to the broader SA railway sector in the years ahead.
“The plan is that 60% of all interns will be drawn from communities adjacent to the Dunnottar plant,” says Mncono-Liwani.
The internships are in addition to the 180 bursaries awarded by Gibela to universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution students since 2015.
Applicants should send a copy of their résumé and June 2016 academic transcripts to gibelainternships@careerwise.co.za
