This is in keeping with the regulations of South Africa’s Skills Development Act which aims to expand the knowledge and competencies of the labour force to improve productivity and employment.
After Lebone installed the first Fuji Jet Press 750S in Africa, it decided to invest in an intensive training programme for seven employees.
Lebone CEO Keith Michael says: “Due to the limited skills pool in South Africa, we identified two out of the seven employees to travel to Belgium to receive more training. The two have the necessary technical ability to run a press such as the Fuji.”
The 30-day training programme was conducted by the company EWE, from Belgium. It will also conduct a 10-day follow-up training programme.
Besides the Fuji training, Lebone has also invested in Jura security software and equipment which specialises in election ballots, secure printing and passport developments. This requires a different skill set and understanding of software development and various design features.
“When this software was brought in, we promoted staff to the software design department. They then went through a three-month training programme focusing on various processes of what security printing looks like and what to look out for in counterfeits,” adds Michael.
This programme was completed two weeks ago and included theory and practical training. It took place in the company’s training centre. Although the training was successful, the company had to overcome two hurdles in the process.
The first was the language barrier between the Belgians and the trainees which resulted in translators having to be brought in. The other was the nervousness of the trainees who are familiar with mechanical equipment, not the high-technology software they were being introduced to.
To overcome these hurdles, the training had to be slowed down to ensure there was a solid understanding of the training process.
Despite these challenges, the company is proud to be involved in the process of building a skilled and capable workforce that’s trained to continue implementing the innovation and creativity which has become a hallmark of Lebone’s operations.
About Lebone
Leading exam paper printer and security printing expert, Lebone Litho Printers, specialises in litho and web offset printing and digital printing.
Most of its equipment boasts a hybrid printing configuration which means that the press is equipped with at least two different printing techniques. The three most common printing methods used by Lebone are sheet-fed printing, web offset printing and digital printing.
Lebone Litho continues to provide the public and private sectors with their various printing requirements. The company uses highly efficient, state-of-the-art, variable data printing processes and finishing solutions to eliminate production errors.
ALSO READ: Lebone uplifts SMMEs with bakkie brigade initiative
