A three-year-long qualification and training course finally bore fruit for 63 Johannesburg Water (JW) employees from various depots.
The group, which included 14 females and two people living with disabilities, recently completed recognised qualifications in Water and Wastewater Reticulation Services and Water and Waste Water Treatment Process Control Supervision.
According to Isaac Dhludhlu, the JW communications manager, the staff development and training was part of their human resources strategy to improve efficiency and turnaround times. “As such, the entity proudly invested R5 million in a first-ever water and wastewater learnership programme over a period of three years to capacitate employees to optimise their work performance and also to create opportunities for their personal growth.
“The mission of the company is to provide all the people of Johannesburg with access to quality water and sanitation services and by valuing and developing its employees, to build a sustainable capacity,” Dhludhlu explained.
He added how the qualification benefited the graduates. “The majority of the graduates work in our operations department as general workers, operators and process controllers and [did] not have occupational qualifications. Many of them had not received formal training that is directly related to their area of work.”
He went on to say, “The Johannesburg Water training and development team is trying to remedy the situation by developing their skills and implementing programmes that are in line with their day to day work. These include being efficient and being able to meet their daily targets”.
