UNEMPLOYED school leavers are given the opportunity by Engen to add a notch to their academic belt thanks to their free computer skills training.
For more than a decade, this free training has transformed lives in South Durban at a cost of almost R15,000 per student, due to the refinery’s total investment of over R2.5 million per annum.
“Engen has created a future for us all,” graduate Sandra Matthys says of the initiative.
Another graduate, Brian Ngcongo, says Engen has brought “life and hope to the community” with its community computer training centre.
The centre provides introductory-level computer skills covering nine units of the National Certificate: Information technology in end user computing.
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All applicants must be unemployed school-leavers from the Durban South area. Although matric is not a requirement, and while they can be any age, most students are aged from 20 to 40.
With securing employment the primary objective, the course has already upskilled more than 1,700 people since inception.
Sheryl Casalis, training director of Added Advantage Academy, which has provided the training since 2009, says Engen spends close to R15,000 per student on two four-month courses for 80 people each, reaching around 160 students every year.
“The competency rate for students is between 94% and 96% by the time they complete the course. They become computer literate individuals who are able to work independently using the most common computer programmes utilised in offices today,” she said.
The current course ends in May, with the second 2018 course commencing in July.
Adhila Hamdulay, Engen’s corporate social investment manager said the centre is well known in the community, and they always have waiting lists.
