Bursary students get a taste of the working world
MIDRAND – Eleven students are spending their June and July holiday working on-site.
Balwin Foundation bursary beneficiaries have recently undergone an induction process at the company’s offices and went on an in-depth site visit to learn how the company operates.
The foundation is a non-profit company established in 2016 by Balwin Properties and aimed at making a difference in the education, training and funding landscape. The foundation provides scholarships, bursaries, awards and loans for study, research and teaching.
Balwin Properties chief executive officer and chairperson for the Balwin Foundation, Steve Brookes said, “The Balwin Foundation is committed to building skills and creating growth through developing skills and enhancing the lives of the communities in which we operate in order to make a sustainable impact.”
The foundation has awarded 16 bursaries – 11 for tertiary studies and five for scholars. The 11 students, including those studying building and civil engineering, are spending their June and July holiday working on-site at Balwin. Those studying public relations, human resources and business administration will support the staff at Balwin Properties offices.
“We believe that the role of business in South Africa is to be a catalyst for positive change and, through its successful operations, an enabler of socio-economic growth. Our mission is to contribute to the creation of a sustainable, equitable and prosperous society that we as South Africans can all be proud of,” added Brookes.
The foundation has 17 short courses with 82 days of training where 448 certificates have been issued. A total of 261 people have been trained in these courses which teach tiling, painting, bricklaying, plastering, time management, basic finance, accounts, basic computer operations, managing construction resources and setting out.
Brookes added, “We focus on specific study areas relevant to the area we operate in, in order to ensure we have a talented pool of young people to grow and nurture into valuable contributors to the industry.”
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