Graduation marks completion of empowering programme
Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Buti Manamela recently addressed graduates in an event held in New Market on July 25.
Alrode’s Alfeco held its graduation ceremony in honour of 65 learners who have completed portable skills training activities at Ascot Mews.
The activities target skilled and unskilled unemployed youth, matriculants, varsity students and unemployed graduates.
Alfeco Holdings is an integrated metals company which comprises three divisions namely, aluminium, copper, ferrous and renewable energy.
Graduates completed skills development activities such as production technology learnerships, metallurgical engineering and mechanical engineering internships. The training initiatives are in partnership with Dee Empire, Imisebenzi Development Agency and Nhlanhla P.S Holdings.
Alfeco business strategy director Neil Reddy said: “Our business continuity strategy relies on our crucial skills development initiatives. These aim to cultivate the development of critical and portable skills in the metals sector, economically empower youth from poor backgrounds within the communities it operates by training to hire.”
He said this is achieved by supporting the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and the Skills Development Act.
The youth are then empowered through various development campaigns and are equipped for the workplace. Through the partnership with the national training authority Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (MerSETA), these initiatives become a success.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Buti Manamela, addressed graduates and all attendees who were present during the occasion.
“In helping you address your personal development needs or career aspirations, in a country like ours, your academic training must empower you with the knowledge and skills to become employment creators. You must become part of that generation that helps us move away from the crisis of having unemployed graduates,” he said.
Manamela advised graduates to be part of a generation that is going to design community programmes to teach a sense of positive purpose to the youth.
Client relations manager at MerSETA, Vusimusi Mkhatshwa administered the prize giving.
He said MerSETA remains passionately committed to providing support to learners from underprivileged and working-class backgrounds through skills development opportunities.
“The partnership between MerSETA and Alfeco has provided hundreds of young people from poor family backgrounds with opportunities to be trained, developed, and employed. The company has opened all their workplaces to be a training space for the youth in the country,” said Mkhatshwa.
He also urged the youth to look for development and growth opportunities offered within their manufacturing, engineering and related services sectors through Alfeco.
