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Introducing IOPSA’s training manager
By Eamonn Ryan
Kwakho Mpepho tried teaching, tried construction… but finally
‘fell in love’ with plumbing.
Mpepho started his career as a teacher, and he
says, “This introduced me to the education and
training environment as we know it in South
Africa. At a consulting firm I started as a facilitator,
where I learned the hosting of training events and
assessing work-related training and accreditation by
Setas (sector education and training authorities) in
different industries.”
Entering the construction industry
Mpepho has been IOPSA training manager for the past year.
“What’s stimulating about this work is the empowerment and
joy it gives to learners and apprentices. For instance, on the
IOPSA apprenticeship pilot, I deal with people who, based on
their family dynamics, would typically not qualify for such a
trade but now are on that path. One individual in particular
is the best of the current intake and whose leadership skills
are growing by the day. That is extremely rewarding to be
part of. This individual is at a point of being completely self-
motivated to the extent he himself recognises what gaps he
still has in his training and on his own initiative will approach
an employer so as to work there on his apprenticeship and
get the necessary exposure.”
One of the biggest challenges of Mpepho’s job and the
apprenticeship programme, he says, is to improve the job
readiness of applicants. “Many have never worked before;
their culture is not job-oriented; and they don’t understand
what the word ‘professionalism’ means; they don’t know
how to communicate with supervisors; they occasionally just
don’t pitch for work. The flip side of this is that employers
can be so tough on them that they crack, and we have to
intervene. The apprentice is our employee, though their first
point of reference would be the college if they’re studying,
and the employer if it is work related. “It is also a physically
demanding job, and it is a process to get to that point.”
Before IOPSA Mpepho worked for the Master Builders’
Association where he met Lea Smith, a Master Builders
February 2020 Volume 25 I Number 12
He broadened his experience at delivery company DHL
where he was involved in the delivery of the employee
induction programme from Germany and identifying South
African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) aligned training
material for staff where necessary. “I personally deliver
training on the ‘soft’ skills rather than technical subject
matter of each particular industry and have been primarily
involved on the regulatory side of training: working with
Setas, accreditation and alignment of material. We had
subject matter experts and my role is to ensure that the
training they deliver is fit-for-purpose.
Kwakho Mpepho, IOPSA Training Manager.
Association North’s EXCO member who is also the current
President of IOPSA – who was an important role model
to Mpepho. “He’s a visionary and highly influential in the
construction industry generally and plumbing as well. I
had ideas at the time regarding apprenticeships which are
already implemented in the plumbing industry, and Lea was
one of the few leaders who had an advanced understanding
of the education and training landscape in the country and
as a result supported the initiatives. Under executive director
Brendan Reynolds, IOPSA is far ahead of many employer
associations in the construction sector in terms of the impact
it is making on its industry. Furthermore, my manager Nick
Joubert is a rare breed of person in that he both possesses
technical knowledge and understands the regulatory
framework and training at advanced levels.”
Mpepho was instrumental in encouraging MBA North to
participate in the DHET’s Centres of Specialisation initiative.
This followed an invitation by the MBSA (Master Builders
South Africa) executive director to represent the federation at
the initial meetings with DHET.
“What’s
stimulating
about this
work is the
empowerment
and joy it
gives to
learners and
apprentices."
It was this which led him to IOPSA, as IOPSA already
understood and managed apprenticeships. It has already
implemented a pilot project, led by Mpepho.
He says he is currently facing arguably the biggest challenge
of his career: acquiring the technical skills of plumbing, a
challenge he relishes. PA
www.plumbingafrica.co.za