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Almost 300 young people – roughly half of them women – are ready for the job market thanks to a initiative by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to train them in solar water-heating installations.
A total of 142 unemployed young women and 158 men were recruited from eastern Gauteng to complete theoretical training of around two months at African International Training Facilities’ Solar Academy in Petit in Gauteng.
Here they learnt all about pipe work, draining systems, geysers, installing showers, basins and toilets and finally how to install solar water-heating systems.
The students also conducted a course to assist them to become entrepreneurs.
They had to write a business plan for a plumbing business as part of their training.
After the theoretical training, the students completed 10 months’ practical training to qualify for their National Certificate: Hot Water System Installation (SAQA ID 65858 level 2).
The last group of students received their certificates in February last year and many have since been involved in a huge project in which the Ekurhuleni metropolitan council is installing solar power geysers.
Only nine students did not complete the training and two of the top six achievers were women.
“A great achievement towards gender parity in the industry,” says Solar Academy’s Deon van Blommenstein.
He said 50 of the students had the potential for successful further studies to level 4, to become fully qualified plumbers or instructors.
The total value of the project is R18 million and the UIF also partnered with the Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority to change these young South Africans’ lives for the better.
