Youth gets bursaries from government

MBOMBELA – Aiming at supporting students from disadvantaged communities currently enrolled for careers in the built environment, the National Department of Public Works has awarded 82 bursaries to the students currently in their second year to fifth year of their studies.

In January, 50 bursaries Public Works also awarded to learners from the DPW’s schools Programme, an element of the Built Environment Skills Pipeline Strategy.
The awarding of these bursaries is an intervention of the Schools Programme which is an element of the Built Environment Skills Pipeline Strategy.

The outcome of the strategy is to produce professionals through supported learning interventions and focused experiential learning process, starting exposure to the built environment from an early stage in the learner’s career.
One of the recipients, Ms Mandisa Sibiya from Kabokweni and the only candidate from Mpumalanga who has been awarded the bursary, said that she was elated when she was told that she is one of the 82 students who qualified for the bursary.
“This bursary has opened a door for me that I never thought I would ever open.This is an opportunity to not only realise my dream but the dream of my family and friends and I believe that it will also allow me the opportunity to assist young people realise their dreams (through the mentoring programme).
Growing up,Mandisa had a dream to become Miss South Africa so she could help communities,because back then she thought one had to be a beauty queen in order to contribute to society but has since realised that it takes more than beauty to contribute to society.

She is now enrolled with the University of Johannesburg doing Masters in Construction Management.
“I hope the department of public works continues with this initiative, because like our late former President Nelson Mandela, said “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” said the jubilant Mandisa.
Awarding the bursaries to the students, Minister Thulas Nxesi made it clear at the awarding ceremony that the bursary initiatives are part of the seven year plan to rebuild the Department of Public Works, which include: rebuild the technically and professional capacity of Public Works and the state and promote training and skills development in the built environment, in line with the needs of the National Infrastructure Plan and the National Development Plan and to transform the built environment professions to reflect the demographics of the country.