21 October 2009

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in partnership with the Coega Development Corporation held a graduation ceremony on 16 October 2009 for learners that successfully completed the Vukuphile Learnership Programme.

The learnership programme is a Construction Education Training Authority-registered learnership that has an emphasis on labour intensive construction technology in keeping with the dictates of the Expanded Public Works Programme.

The Vukuphile Learnership Programme was first launched in February 2006. 60 learners were employed to take part in the Learnership Programme.

Through the programme 20 learner contractor companies were created, each with a manager and 2 supervisors. The learnership was undertaken over two years and included blocks of formal training followed by projects, which were undertaken by learners as practical experiential training. The programme created 450 jobs for unskilled people and afforded them the opportunity to receive training on both technical and accredited training skills.

Mayor Nondumiso Maphazi congradulated the learners for successfully completing the programme saying that the graduation ceremony signalled the good progress being made by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and the Coega Development Corporation in addressing challenges of poverty and skills shortages in Nelson Mandela Bay.

“We are gaining ground with the support of the Department of Public Works, the Department of Labour, the Coega Development Corporation, Absa bank and the Construction Education Training Authority in establishing successful learnerships that create qualified and experienced contractors with the ability to implement labour intensive projects,” concluded Mayor Maphazi.

Eastern Cape MEC for Roads & Public Works, Pammy Majodina also congradulated the learners for their sterling work and thanked them for their commitment and dedication. She reserved special praise for the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and the Coega Development Corporation for their vision and leadership in seeing the project to its successful completion.

The MEC announced that during the first quarter, 16 000 jobs were created in the Eastern Cape through the Expanded Public Works Programme. She committed her department to supporting initiatives aimed at fighting poverty and imparting skills to the youth of the Province.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality announced that provisional approval has been given for Phase 2 of the Vukuphile Contractor Learnership Programme to be implemented during the 2009/2010 financial year.

Source: NELSON MANDELA BAY