Eastern Cape graduations report and highlights

South Africa has a high rate of youth unemployment and government has embarked on plans to rectify this worrying state of affairs, the Department of Environmental affairs undertook The ECMass Training; National Certificate Building & Civil Construction NQF 3 project which was implemented by Pioneer skills development Institute in 5 local municipalities in Eastern Cape. The participants/Learners in this project have undergone a 12 months Learnership programmes on Building and Civil construction NQF Level 3, this has seen the youth embarking on endeavors with the aim of contributing to economic development.

This training was implemented under the auspices of EPWP with the main focus on skills development, and it’s also in line with the NDP 2030 outcome for transition to a society which is internationally competitive, equitable, job creating and sustainable. The programme had a total of 100 participants and out of that, 90 completed the course. Projects implemented under the principles of EPWP are generally known to be short term employment without sustainability, but this time that typecast has been shifted.

Five Municipalities, were identified to be beneficiaries of this programme and were each allocated a certain number of participants respectively. The beneficiary municipalities therefore identified learners from all wards in the municipal jurisdiction. This training programme was broken down into two, classroom learning which comprises of 30% and work integrated learning which comprises of 70%, the latter has seen learners contributing back to the municipalities and the local community, The Project has now been completed and graduation ceremonies were conducted in all five
municipalities.

The graduations events have been joyful ones and the learners were excited to receive the certificates they have worked tirelessly for. In Mlungisi which is in the Amahlathi local Mucipality the learner’s representative Sakhile Dayizana, expressed how this project came and changed his life,and the lives of his fellow learners, this particular learner highlighted the journey through out the project and attested how the programme enabled him to build a house for himself.

This is the same site where the learners build a kitchen at Cenyu Hall which is the same place they were attending their classes. The ward councilors were also in support of the program throughout the duration, and also expressed appreciation towards this initiative and vowed to give support to
the learners, and also encouraged them to carry on with the fighting and dedicated spirits they displayed as the sky is the limit.

In Butterworth which is under Mnquma Local Municipality, the learners displayed a high level appreciation to the Department of environmental affairs, The Municipality and Pioneers Skills Development Institute as the project implementer, for having given them the opportunity and transferred this valuable skills. The Director for Community Services at the municipality also encouraged the learners to start using the skills they have obtained, as they are now competent in the work they have been trained on. These learners have left a souvenir at the municipality in a form of a security wall at the municipality’s community service department.

Mhlontlo Local Municipality was also one of the beneficiary Municipality, the graduation event was graced by the presence of The Director for Local Economic development, and officials from his office, one of the representatives advised the learners to open cooperatives so that they can access government grants offered by different entities of the state. She has also indicated that their office is always ready to assist with opening of cooperatives and company registrations so that they can undertake formalized businesses in building and civil construction. The learners have attested that they did not take the project serious at the beginning as EPWP projects are generally known to be only labor intensive projects in the communities, but their mindset changed when they started their classroom learning and moved to their workplace, the graduation ceremony has chiefly encouraged them to take every opportunity and embrace it. In Umzimvubu Local Municipality, the learners highlighted how they thought they were applying for some EPWP projects where they were going to receive a certificate of attendance after completing the project, however the graduation has proved that differently as they now have CETA accredited certificates.

Port Saint Johns Local Municipality also benefited from the programme and we were delighted to host the graduations ceremony for the learners. The municipality could not stop expressing their gratitude towards this initiative and the contributions it came with. The parents who attended were forever making joyful noise when they were ascending the stage and receiving the certificates. The Mass training project model has chiefly encouraged the municipalities, the learners and the community at large to embrace projects of this nature as they have long term sustainability and also contribute towards economic development.

Below are some of the pictures of the events;