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Afrox opens custom container welding school
All images by Afrox
The new welding academy was officially opened on 7 September 2017.
During the official opening.
The inaugural students for the LIV Welding Academy programmes selected for training in October.
The LIV Welding Academy, a custom container welding school that was developed by Afrox in partnership with LIV and the Southern African Institute of Welding( SAIW), was officially opened on 7 September 2017.
The LIV Village provides holistic residential care for orphaned and vulnerable children, with the objective of nurturing and educating the children to become valuable members of society. In addition to assisting in the development of the welding school, Afrox also provided welding equipment, consumables, and gases, and trained the instructors.
Afrox has obtained Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority( CHIETA) and Quality Control for Trades and Occupations( QCTO) accreditation for the training programmes.
Johann Pieterse, business manager for Manufacturing Industries at Afrox, says the gases and welding company is very proud to be in partnership with such a worthwhile community project, and the Afrox welding training programmes will be the first to receive QCTO accreditation.“ We have selected our inaugural 12 students for the LIV Welding Academy programmes and they will begin their training in October. They will be the first students to obtain a welding qualification with QCTO accreditation,” says Pieterse.
He explains that there is an ongoing demand for qualified welders in South Africa and that Afrox’ s aim is not to just train welders, but also to give the LIV Welding Academy students a recognised South African and international qualification. Pieterse adds that Afrox intends to certify the LIV Welding Academy as an International Institute of Welding( IIW) authorised training body in partnership with the SAIW, who owns the programme in South Africa on behalf of the IIW.
The LIV project follows on from the success of Afrox’ s POPUP welding facility in Soshanguve, which supports various technical upskilling programmes with an emphasis on welding as an indemand route to a sustainable career. This first-class tertiary welding facility was launched in 2016 and provides quality training focused on skills development that will contribute to a formal qualification.
Pieterse says that Afrox is not only generating new knowledge to benefit the welding sector broadly, but also demonstrates a practical response to enhancing the skills levels of welding teachers by offering five welding process training programmes. Afrox has already trained over 40 teachers and provided safety training to 13 000 people in the mining, transport, fabrication, petrochemical, and energy sectors.
Enhancing local skills is the main driving force behind Afrox’ s skills development programme and extends to schools to attract and inform pupils about the advantages of a technical career. It also encourages more young learners to study welding further at a tertiary level. To this end, Afrox has partnered with the Department of Education to upgrade and re-equip 14 technical schools in the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Western Cape, to create awareness of welding as a career opportunity, to strengthen the capacity of the schools, and upskill teachers. The company makes bursaries and internships available to welding students.
“ Welding is the backbone of industry as it builds economies, infrastructure, and whole nations. Afrox has invested tens of millions of rands into research and development over the years,” says Pieterse.“ Our commitment to our welding schools and centres is a reality, as we are dedicated in encouraging the youth to take up this profession of the future. We hope to see thousands of young people graduate as welders in years to come.” CLA
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