Students’ hard work pays off

The Eskom Development Foundation held its annual Contractor Academy graduation ceremony on 22 August at the Eskom Academy of Learning in Kaalfontein.

The eight-month course covered project and financial management, entrepreneurship, legislation and technical acumen among other essential business skills.

According to Eskom’s senior consultant Akani Malobola, the programme is aimed at equipping emerging contractors and suppliers with the academic skills to successfully manage and grow sustainable businesses.

Professor Malegapuru Makgoba of Eskom’s board said that Eskom has awarded contracts of over R3 billion to deserving contractors who have completed the academy’s training.

He added. “We’re especially proud of the fact that over 40 per cent of our emerging contractor intake over the past 11 years has been women, however, as noteworthy as that may be, we look forward to seeing many more go through and complete the programme.”

Since its inception in 2008, the Contractor Academy has seen

1 500 students graduate nationally, with graduates coming from all provinces across Africa.

Demanding and exacting in its composition, participants were required to attend one week of block sessions every month to learn how to navigate their way around industry challenges, think out the box and channel their energy into success strategies.

Dumisani Rasenavho, owner of DVR Electrical Services, was this year’s top student, having achieved an average mark of 89 per cent. Rasenavho noted that the Contractor Academy programme assisted him in passing his accounting studies in addition to improving his business offering.

“I’m happy to be the best student in my class but more than anything else, this achievement has proved to me that hard work and determination do pay off.

“I routinely travelled 600km from Vryburg in the North-West to Polokwane to attend classes, and as a result of that commitment, I no longer have to outsource some of the work, I now do it myself.”

Eskom Development Foundation CEO, Cecil Ramonotsi added that the academy is an integral part of Eskom’s corporate social investment programme as it seeks to enhance the quality of life of South Africans.

She said, “Through initiatives such as the Contractor Academy, Eskom is seeking to assist young people to find solutions to the country’s challenges of poverty and unemployment.”

The Eskom Contractor Academy supports the government goals of skills and infrastructure development, job creation and poverty alleviation.

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