Trust ploughs back into providing skill training among the youth
For the past 11 years the Peermont Community Benefit Trust (PCBT), one of Peermont Global's CSI initiatives, has offered sponsorship for trades or similar qualifications to deserving young people from the Ekurhuleni area.
This is done in order to address the dire need for scarce skills in the country. It also helps young people become economically active.
The trustees sponsored electrical learnerships on various levels for 22 young people during 2016, enabling the learners to do trade tests and acquire permanent jobs.
In addition, three young people were selected to complete a course in air conditioning and refrigeration, with two other youngsters doing a course in plumbing.
The trainees completed the theory component of their learnerships at the end of last year. They’ve started working at Emperors Palace’s maintenance department, for their experiential learning.
To celebrate and let the students get to know the artisans who’ll be assisting them during their experiential training, the PCBT hosted a lunch for them recently at the Peermont Hotel School.
“The Emperors Palace maintenance department hosts the learners for the duration of their experiential learning. The latter benefit greatly from working on this prestigious complex,” said PCBT Trust Manager, Jenny Findlay, who also thanked the artisans and supervisors from the department for their dedication in coaching the learners.
Their valuable contribution was an integral part of the project’s success.
Students are selected annually based on their performance, their ambition and integral sense of purpose.
The trust provides individualised mentorship, which includes life skills and emotional intelligence.
At the end of their training period, the improvement is very visible. The Trustees encourage beneficiaries to ‘plough back” to their communities after completing their qualification.
Over 500 learners have benefitted from the Lesedi programme, which boasts a 98 per cent job placement rate.
