Skills provided at Orlando Skills Centre

After closing for almost four years, the Orlando Skills Centre is now open for skills development classes.

Now offering various skills from sewing to agriculture, Ward Committee Member, Mpiyakhe Paul Khumula is inviting residents to take advantage of the services that are currently being offered at the centre.

Khumalo said the reopening of the centre is under the portfolio of Community Development Sector Two and they were able to invite stakeholders under the portfolio including, the social benefit unit, elderly and disability unit, ECDs, schools, churches, agriculture sector as well as migration and the youth development unit.

ALSO READ: SASOL foundation gives youngsters vital skills

“We managed to host all Region D Community Development ward committee members early this year and we can proudly say that we are now open to residents to come and acquire skills that we currently have from Monday to Friday.

“We also received support from the reginal manager of Social Development, Moses Demeshane and other stakeholders,” Khumalo said.

He added that some of their main goals are to ensure that residents are equipped with skills that will make their job hunting process easier in future as well as to give them the courage and open mind to open their own companies or establishments one day.

“It is heart-warming to see locals gathered here to enquire and to enrol for skills development classes because at the end of the day these facilities are for them to utilise.

“If we can change the life of one resident we would be glad knowing that we managed to change that of their entire family because putting bread on the table can be hard, especially without any formal education or skills.”

One of the non-profit organisations at the centre, Noncedo Corporation which assist their learners with sewing classes is inviting interested residents to join them and acquire skills.

Nhlanhla Mhlongo of Noncede Corporation said, “We are open to work with residents with no experience in sewing and we believe that our services can be beneficial to those who want to join us because we use techniques that will lay a foundation in the services we offer.”

A member of Ratanang non-profit organisation for the elderly, Chinki Motokwane said they welcome elderly residents to be part of their monthly programme.

ALSO READ: Mentorship offered to local unemployed women with creative skills

Steven Nhlanhla Msimanga recently joined the centre to offer boxing classes to local children and lay foundation for discipline and producing local boxing championships.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the skills centre and to offer boxing as a skill free of charge because it is one of the sports that young black people are likely to be interested in but due to lack of facilities, they don’t know where to start to acquire this skill,” Msimanga said.