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Young plumbers ready for the world
By
Tanya Olckers
Nedbank 360 ° Plumbing Programme graduates celebrate their achievements after three years of study and hard work .
An air of anticipation filled the Nedbank head office building in Sandton on 1 July . Five young plumbing graduates and new business owners , waited nervously and patiently for their graduation ceremony to begin .
These five graduates are part of a group of eight individuals who have been beneficiaries of the Nedbank Insurance 360 ° Plumbing Programme . The initiative is part of the bank ’ s supplier and enterprise development efforts and saw the students applying through the youth employment accelerator Harambee to be part of the programme .
It wasn ’ t an easy ride . The group were put through a challenging bootcamp so that they could figure out if this was something they wanted to do and if they had the skills and acumen to become
“ At the end of three years of comprehensive training , five graduates were ready to step into the plumbing world .” plumbing entrepreneurs . The stakes were high for the students – this was about their future .
At the end of three years of comprehensive training , five graduates were ready to step into the plumbing world , having achieved not just a plumbing qualification , but a chance to specialise in solar water heating and heat pump installations . All these newly-minted plumbers emerged from their studies as plumbers licensed with the Plumbing Industry Registration Board ( PIRB ).
Among the graduates are two young women plumbers who now own and run their own plumbing businesses .
Of the eight students , five took part in the entrepreneurship programme and six have joined forces to successfully open their own businesses at the end of their studies . Thando Mtshali and Mackdonald Nthelebovu ( Real Deal Plumbers ), Veronica Ntsho ( Joy of Plumbing ) and Hector Ramano and Thabiso Thabane ( Valued Plumbing Services ) posed proudly behind their business banners , presented to them along with newly pressed business cards by Brevynn Coetzee from Nedbank , who served as a business mentor to the group .
All images by © Plumbing Africa
Congratulations to the happy graduates .
www . plumbingafrica . co . za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline September 2024 Volume 30 I Number 7