TRAINING
To rise to the challenge of the global manufacturing marketplace driven by productivity, flexibility and the need to develop workers able to lead in such an environment, SAIF has developed a national coordinated approach to foundry skills development, ensuring sustainability of the existing interventions and enhancing the roll-out of new training courses deemed relevant to the industry.
SAIF has been rolling out the well-known 8 Module Industry Skills Programme and on-demand short courses to the wider industry.
The training modules are accepted and trusted by industry as evident by the increase in numbers since the start of the training in 2010.
SAIF will accelerate this training programme during 2018 within the provinces of Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. In addition to these class room based lectures, customised courses have been planned to be delivered to specific companies in Gauteng and KZN.
SAIF Modular Training Plan for 2018
Year to date, herewith is a summary of the training presented by SAIF at various venues in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal:
The plan for formal lectures at the University of Johannesburg has commenced with the following modular courses being offered during Q3/2018:
These lecturers are held every Saturday morning at the University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein Campus from 8 am to 12 noon
Gauteng Foundry Training Centre (GFTC)
The Gauteng Foundry Training Centre (GFTC) was officially launched on 18 September 2013 at the Ekurhuleni East College in Kwa Thema, Springs. A hub for foundry related skills training and technology transfer, the project was funded by the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED) in partnership with the National Foundry Technology Network (NFTN), an initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti).
The GFTC offers facilities and infrastructure for both theoretical and appropriate practical training, thus contributing to addressing the availability of skills that have been identified as scarce.
The Gauteng Foundry Training Centre (GFTC) started its first course in January 2014 at the Ekurhuleni East College, Kwa Thema Campus with the Artisan Programme the initial focus of the GFTC in terms of the following three trades:
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Melters
- Moulders
- Pattern Makers in the foundry industry
The GFTC is the only accredited foundry training centre for the artisan qualification in Moulding and Pattern Making and hence is registered with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) with those credentials. The artisan trade test qualification for the Melter is long outstanding as the process has moved from the legacy type qualifications with merSETA to the new frame of occupational qualifications with QCTO.
An audit of the GFTC has been conducted by the National Artisan Moderating Body (NAMB) and the facility itself has been approved for artisan trade testing with respect to the Melter Trade apart from already being qualified to offer the other two trade tests within the disciplines of Moulding and Pattern Making.
However, since this is a new qualification, two individuals have been identified to undergo the Melter trade test and then themselves become assessors. Mr Errol Beling and Tom Richards will supply their current portfolio of evidence (POE) against the Artisan Recognition to Prior Learning (ARPL) toolkit that will then allow them access to the Melter trade test at the GFTC.
