EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
TVET pilot study to encourage
RAC studies
By Department of Environmental Affairs
he Department of Environmental principal, Amos Thema, who expressed
Affairs (DEA) was accompanied by his sincere and humble gratitude for this
industry role players like the South initiative. He further mentioned that the
African Refrigeration and Air Conditioning collaboration among various role players
Contractors Association (SARACCA), the should be continued.
South African Qualification and Certification
The DEA’s Margaret Molefe (Chemicals
Committee for Gas (SAQCC Gas), A-Gas, Management chief directorate) outlined
and Metraclark. government’s initiatives that are aimed at
The Capricorn College in Limpopo
trying to address some of the challenges
hosted the pilot study. The objective of faced by the RAC TVETs in the country.
the initiative, among others, was to try One being the training of 2 000 RAC
and determine the extent of the following technicians in the informal service sector
challenges faced by the TVET colleges: over a five-year period from 2018, and
• Low uptake and gradual decline of another being refrigerant reclamation.
students in the RAC programme The DEA will be working together with
Low industry placement (that is, for the Department of Higher Education and
internship) Training, the Department of Labour, as
• Lecturing staff development well as industry and relevant vocational
• Underequipped RAC workshop. training colleges for attainment of these
•
T
The long-awaited pilot study to determine the challenges faced by the refrigeration and air
conditioning (RAC) Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges took place
in Seshego, Polokwane, in the Limpopo Province on 12 April 2018.
Students lining up to get more info from DEA at their stand.
initiatives.
The workshop was heartily welcomed
Since some of the students were nearing
by the college’s senior management, the completion of their courses, Barney
lecturers, officials, and students at large. Richardson of SARACCA explained the
Approximately one hundred students registration requirements of RAC service
participated in the pilot workshop and technicians in the various functions of the
were accompanied by their lecturers. sector. This segment of the programme
Outside the main auditorium, the DEA,
was followed up with concerns raised by
A-Gas, Metraclark, SAQCC Gas, and students, including:
SARACCA showcased their materials and •
Why RAC industry companies are
technology respectively to the ever-so- reluctant to take female interns from
keen and energetic students. colleges;
A briefing session preceded the
•
technicians;
various stakeholders deliberated on
the importance of this initiative and
• How many women are registered as
• technicians at present in the country;
What can be done for under-
the programme. The programme was
opened by the Capricorn College
Why RAC industry companies
are reluctant to employ female
proceedings of the day, where
Student participants accompanied by lecturers, paying careful attention to presentations at
the workshop.
16
Petrus Oosthuizen of Metraclark (on left) explains domestic fridge components, evaporators,
compressors, condensers, and its functions. Students showed interest in the manufacturing
process and raised more questions on technical aspects.
DEA’s Margaret Molefe offering words of motivation to students
and bringing insight to ozone layer protection and the
Montreal Protocol.
www.coldlinkafrica.co.za
COLD LINK AFRICA • July/August 2018