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Implats’ learnership and bursary programme is a response to the Deputy President’s call to ASGISA and GIPSA to increase the skills pool and also to address poverty alleviation through education. This is part of the company’s Social and Labour Plan (SLP) commitment to sponsor students every year from the areas from which Implats sources its labour.

This year, ICDT made a budget available to sponsor four students from the Eastern Cape and Taung to participate in the learnership programme. They are currently in their first year of study at the Impala Training Centre and, after four years, they will be qualified Electrical Engineers. The training centre is MQA certified.

“The Eastern Cape and Taung were chosen because they are our labour-sending areas and are some of the poorest parts of the country,” said Implats’ Socio Economic Development Manager, Tina Malau.

The learners receive a stipend for attending the programme, and their training equipment is supplied by Implats. On completion, the students are required to work for Implats. Should they want or require to further their studies, Implats has external study aid open to all employees.

Nontuthuko Cockman, a student from the Eastern Cape currently part of the learnership programme, said: “I have always liked to work with electricity and I am very excited to be here. After graduating I know my life will change for the better. This is a dream come true”.

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