Furniture business benefits youth
Most of the training materials were bought from local hardware stores to support the local economy
A partnership between the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT) and the Furniture Technology Centre Trust (Furntech) has benefited 15 unemployed individuals from the Gert Sibande District Municipality.
They were part of a 15 weeks’ training project approved by the DEDT, which took place in the Cassim Park Hall.
The learners were taught how to manufacture furniture products using portable woodworking tools.
They also designed, assembled and installed built-in kitchen units and bedroom cupboards at their homes.
At the completion of the training project, the learners were each given a tool kit to the value of R2 000.
Most of the training materials were bought from local hardware stores to support the local economy.
Seven of the beneficiaries started their own businesses and their offerings vary from design, manufacturing and the installation of kitchen and bedroom units to making cabinets and upholstery.
