The Greater Eldorado Park Youth Innovation Hub (GEPYIH) and Blueprint Engineering and Skills Development (BESD) afforded young people an opportunity to gain pragmatic skills as part of celebrating Mandela Day at EXT 4, Eldorado Park, on July 18.
The programme sought to impart welding skills and educate young people about the late former President of South Africa, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’s role and commitment to the culture of peace and freedom.
Most of the beneficiaries (learners) who took part have enrolled in different accredited courses including business and artisan trade courses.
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Phyllis Vilakazi, board chairperson for GEPYIH said their mission is to upscale the youth with various programmes and business courses.
She said they have a partnership with various stakeholders that ensure that they give credible certification to the learners.
“Under business, we are funded for end-user computing, ICT and Cisco, and for artisan, we have welding and electrical.
“But we provide many other extended scopes namely, upholstery, merchandising and tyre repairs,” said Vilakazi.
She emphasised that it was important to start the programme by educating learners about their history because some just hear about Mandela Day and they do not understand the meaning of it.
“It is important for learners to know that today they can do free courses and gain skills because there are stalwarts who fought for them to ensure that they have these facilities.
“This was an opportunity that was previously impossible for coloured or black people due to the imposed oppression.”
BESD is a skills development provider and trade test centre accredited with the Department of Higher Education through the Quality Council of Trade and Occupations and the National Artisan Moderating Body.
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According to Bridget Mabuza from BESD, the partnership began when they heard about the fly-by-night training centres that were scamming the youth.
She expressed that BESD wanted to be part of the asymmetry of getting them in a better position and helping them in a greater stance.
Despite welding and electrical, they also offer courses in fields such as boiler making, diesel mechanics and fitting.
The BESD team was showing learners the welding trade for 67 minutes because the equipment for it is portable.
“For practicals that need heavy equipment we will provide transportation for students to come to our training centre,” said Mabuza.
She noted that BESD accepts private students daily; however, it recently completed its June and July intake.
The next intake will be in January next year and late registrations may occur, so students can contact Blueprint for assistance or use their WhatsApp number to register.
Some of the prominent community leaders who graced the event with their presence are the former Ward 16 and 17 councillors Peter Rafferty and Pastor Gaynoliwa Mattera, a community leader and younger sister of the late author, poet and anti-Apartheid activist Donato Francisco Mattera.
Mattera praised Vilakazi for taking a stand for the youth, citing that many tried it before and it was not easy.
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“I was the first woman in Eldorado Park to rehabilitate 50 young boys, they are still clean, but I was lucky because I had Don Mattera behind me, I could move with funding,” she said.
“There are no resources on the ground, as we speak, Vilakazi is going through a lot but she is not saying it. But community leaders like me know that she has challenges. She has resources; however, she will still need a lot of help from sponsors.”
GEPYIH centre has been in operation since 1999, with a new administration starting in 2021 to ensure accreditation and recognition.
The centre has made significant achievements with young people becoming employed and some have become hair stylists and entrepreneurs.
It produces almost 300 young people annually trained in various fields including ICT, welding and electrical.
The centre aims to remove individuals from dangerous drugs like Nyaope and ensure that everyone is productive.
To support the organisation contact Vilakazi on 082 282 8963.
