Interwaste celebrates 16 newly qualified trainees
MIDRAND – The qualifications would assist trainees to venture into entrepreneurship.
Sixteen students from Tembisa and Olifantsfontein were awarded certificates at the Interwaste FG Landfill site on 20 September after completing training in waste management.
The training initiative was carried out by Interwaste in conjunction with the Siyangena Environmental Stakeholder Forum to empower participants with the hope that they would also drive awareness on waste management in their respective communities.
Interwaste Human Resources director, Rajes Pillay said, considering that 50 per cent of entrepreneurs in South Africa were youths – with female entrepreneurs making up 47 per cent of the pool, there was a great opportunity to drive real skills to the groups and expand the levels of entrepreneurship.
“With an increasing unemployment rate locally, training and development are becoming ever more important,” said Pillay.
“Corporate South Africa has a fundamental role to play in encouraging and facilitating skills development, giving South Africans the confidence to rise beyond their current situations, skill up and become solid contributing members of society. We believe that projects such as this are key to this change.”
The course was facilitated by Kobus Meyer from the Institute of Waste Management, covering a period of eight days over four months. Qualifications were credited by the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority and NQF level 1 to 4 accredited.
Pillay said she hoped that the current intake of students would use their skills and qualifications to become active participants in the mainstream economy by creating employment through entrepreneurship.
Member of Siyangena Environmental Stakeholder Forum, Elizabeth Mokotong said they were proud of the students who did not only pass but excelled in the course.
“They have really lived up to the primary aim of the forum by becoming advocates for improving the community and environment,” she concluded.
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