GAUTRAIN’S INITIATIVES ENLARGE SKILLS DATABASE

During the peak of Gautrain’s construction, a labour force of approximately 7000 workers will be employed. As part of the Concession Agreement, Bombela CJV has committed to skills training and development, as well as women’s learnership and mentorship.

Another opportunity for developing skills is in the area of technical equipment usage.  Certain machinery used on the project is quite technical and complicated to operate. Both 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.

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

The diversity of the project also requires Bombela to 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.

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

“Human resource development remains a key aspect of Bombela CJV’s commitment to the successful completion of the Gautrain project”, says Joos Marais, Deputy Project Director.

• Specialised civil construction training takes place at the Apex training facility
• Plant and heavy machinery operators are 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.
• The Goldfields academy provides leading employee learning solutions. Here, 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.