The sky is the limit for these young chefs

Tarik Cornelius and Nomvuyo Dlamini completed their studies in professional cookery and are currently doing their practical training at The Jock Pub & Grill in Mbombela.

The duo both have a passion for cooking and look forward to getting into the industry.

Cornelius points out that he was never wanted in his mother’s kitchen, because he used to cook all the meat that was in the refrigerator and has never looked back.

“They said I was no longer allowed in the kitchen. I decided after high school to carry on with the cooking profession and that’s when I enrolled at MRTT.

“They accepted me and I am now almost done with my course. In four years I see myself cooking on cruise ships, tasting various cuisines,” he said.

Their future plans include opening a catering company and expanding to other areas where there are opportunities to do what they love best.

The vision of the MRTT is to be recognised as an accredited sustainable skills development agency throughout southern Africa. Their mission is to provide quality customised training interventions, and practical workplace training, placement and after-care according to the demands of the market that they serve for job creation and poverty alleviation.

The entity’s strategic goals are to develop skills in hospitality, tourism, technical, and other demand-driven areas in accordance with national and provincial mandates.

It is also to improve service delivery through good corporate governance and compliance to relevant legislation; market products and services and establish working relations; and provide workplace training, coaching and mentoring through development and management of production units in accordance with sound business principles.

Learners at the training centres have access to three or four classrooms at each centre, where they receive theoretical instruction. The rooms vary in size and from centre to centre, but can accommodate between 20 to 50 learners each.

The workshops are equipped with workstations, workbenches, industrial equipment used in the relevant trades, tools and equipment for appropriate experiential learning, tool rooms and material storerooms. Learners are not only taught to conduct their respective trades but also to practice actual application thereof in the various workshops.

The facilities at all four training centres are fully utilised and each campus is able to carry more learners. The MRTT conducts about 20 per cent of its total training on campus in the four training centres, while 80 per cent of the training is conducted through off-site project-based training where training is taken into remote and rural areas.

For more information on the Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust, contact Ms Lerato Mahlangu on 013 656 0875 or via email at leratom@rttrust.co.za for Technical Programmes, or Mr Thabo Sedibe on 013 794 3891 or via email at thabosedibe@rttrust.co.za for Hospitality Programmes.