13 February 2008

AS part of the Concession Agreement, Bombela CJV, the contractor for the Gautrain project has committed to providing skills development and women's learnership and mentorship.

According to the Gautrain website, during the peak of Gautrain's construction a labour force of approximately 7000 workers will be employed.

It noted that there was an opportunity for developing skills in the area of technical equipment usage as certain machinery used on the project was quite technical and complicated to operate.

In this regard, both Bombela CJV and their subcontractors need to ensure that the operators of the equipment are fully trained and capable of handling the machinery.

"The construction boom in South Africa has led to a scarcity of sufficient and competent staff and operators in the civil and mining industry. To ensure competence of all unskilled workers, they have to be trained in basic skills," said the website.

The Bombela's in-house training initiative contributes in helping with enlarging the pool of semi-skilled workers, as well as creating training and work opportunities to unskilled and unemployed workers.

Since the beginning of the Gautrain project, approximately 1600 workers have completed training in various construction-related skills.

Bombela CJV's Deputy Project Director Joos Marais said the diversity of the project required that they have different training and assessment providers to ensure skills development in their respective areas of specialisation.

"The providers have formed a joint venture and regular training takes place at Bombela's training centres, and on site.

"Human resource development remains a key aspect of Bombela CJV's commitment to the successful completion of the Gautrain project, said Marais.

Marais said the specialised civil construction training took place at the Apex training facility plant and heavy machinery operators were mainly trained at the Kynoch training facility.

"Here, operators of excavators, front-end loaders, mobile cranes, dozers and skid-steers learn how to best perform their functions, with the least impact to the environment," he said.

Meanwhile, the Goldfields academy provides leading employee learning solutions and all staff working in the tunnels and shafts receive skills development and training in compliance with the Mining Health and Safety Act.

"Assistance with the operation of the highly advanced tunnel boring machine and the development of NQF-aligned learning material for all new mining related equipment, are also provided," he said.

Source: Gpg.gov.za