New training facility aims to bolster skills development in the Western Cape

The construction industry is expected to grow by 5.2% this year according to GlobalData. This is reflected in South Africa with various experts predicting that the construction industry will bounce back this year. As such, the promising future of the industry requires expertise and skills to carry the workload and to keep the sector at its peak. 

This is according to Gawie Burger, Southern Region Manager at Tjeka Training Matters who believes that training the youth is crucial when it comes to creating a new wave of skilled individuals and subsequently alleviating the skills shortage in the industry. “This can be achieved by providing quality training and development through leadership, skills programmes, apprenticeships and short courses.”

It is for this reason that the company has recently launched a new training facility in Fisantekraal. “This purpose-built training centre was constructed by Garden Cities using alternative building technologies such as the benex block which is lightweight, thermally efficient and easy to use when building. The construction of the facility was successfully completed and it has been occupied since February this year,” he explains.

“The centre will be specialising in all the construction trades namely, carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying, painting and plastering, tiling as well as civil related trades which include roadworks, pipelaying, gabion construction and erection of guardrail,” says Burger.

He adds that an application to the Quality Council For Trades & Occupations (QCTO) to also register the training centre as a trade test facility is underway. “We are currently experiencing a backlog in trade testing, this facility will assist in having more options available for trade testing which should reduce the waiting period.”

Letitia Van Rensburg, training officer at Master Builders’ Association for the Western Cape (MBAWC) commended the work done by the Tjeka training facility and the possibilities it is bringing to the area and the Western Cape region at large. “The need for artisans and the improvement of the trade testing processes are one of the challenges the industry is facing in the region and the new training facility will assist in mitigating this.”

The centre will offer short courses and full qualifications. “We are also busy registering at the Institute for Working at Heights as a provider for all the scaffolding erector, inspector, supervisor and fall rescue planner programmes,” says Burger. 

The entry requirement for the skills programmes is to be able to read and write and for full qualifications, entry requirements start from grade 9 to grade 12 depending on the NQF level of the programme.

“We are so excited about launching the facility and we are looking forward to developing a skilled and productive workforce to bolster the construction industry throughout the Western Cape in 2021 and beyond,” he concluded.