Lesedi, the local engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company, hosted a careers day at Atlantis Secondary School on Friday 14 June.
The youth-empowerment programme was a chance for the energy and engineering experts to talk about this career field of choice. Abulele Nogaya, Junior Project Manager at Lesedi, explained to the learners that South Africa’s abundant sunshine means plenty of potential for building more solar farms, which in turn means employment opportunities. If thousands of jobs are created by 2030, in response to net-zero needs for renewable energy, “you will be needed,” she told the learners. The careers day specifically came about after Lesedi had held a community meeting about a proposed solar farm in Atlantis. The company found out that while high-school students are taught the physics of solar energy none of them had actually seen a solar panel. Lesedi was awarded the tender for the 7 MW solar plant, which should start construction by the end of August. Cloete said it would take around a year to complete and used the opportunity to explain how the company went about designing the project and how solar power works.
Chantal Evertse, Skills Development Facilitator at Lesedi, explained the company’s apprenticeship programmes aimed at mechanical fitters and boilermakers. The eight-week short course for artisan training gives potential apprentices exposure to machinery and equipment as well as health and safety training. “It’s not specific to a gender,” Evertse told the 200 learners. “If you like to work with your hands – maths is important as well – this is for you.”
