The launch was held at the Leon Ferreira Fire Station in Boksburg, which saw firefighters supporting the metro’s efforts to uplift the youth.
A total of 50 aspiring firefighters who have undergone intensive physical evaluations, were sworn into the 12-month programme that will equip them with the necessary skills when seeking employment.
This is part of the first intake, which will be followed by three intakes of 50 each, to take place in June and December
this year and January 2017.
The programme will, therefore, result in 200 unemployed youngsters being trained in the area of fire and rescue operation at NQF Level 4.
This qualification is accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress.
Upon completion of the learnership, it will improve their chances of employment in the trade of fire and rescue.
These young people, between the ages of 18 to 35 years, will, in the first six months, receive theoretical lessons on the standards of firefighting set by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) unit.
The remaining six months will focus on practical firefighting and rescue training at various fire stations in Ekurhuleni, to where they will be dispatched.
Community Safety MMC Vivienne Chauke said: “We, as the department, are very pleased with the learnership progress this far; this is a partnership to provide hope to young people who have lost hope and who are not employed.”
The mayor, Mondli Gungubele, said that this programme is one of many interventions they are pursing in the area of youth empowerment.
“The programme is anchored in skills development, job creation and economic empowerment,” he added.
“The project we are launching is a continuation of the work which began when we took office in 2011.
“At the time we promised to create a pool of 1 011 Peace Cops (10 per ward), 600-odd firefighting reserve force members and to bolster the EMS with additional personnel.
“Indeed, we have realised all these goals and now we have opted to expand the programme by introducing this learnership.
“They were selected from the pool of unemployed young people registered in our economic development department.”
