FACE TO FACE
Mandisa, one of the key challenges
for the South African economy is the
high levels of unemployment. The
biggest opportunity probably lies in
developing artisanal skills. How has
ATI contributed to realising the true
potential of South Africa’s future
workforce?
ATI trains more than 1 400 young
people each year, and more than 5 174
learners have graduated from our various
programmes over the years. An impressive
90% of these donor-funded students
were employed towards the end of their
apprenticeship. The Institute has 35 years
of experience offering quality training in
South Africa.
How and why did you get involved
in skills development?
I qualified in education and psychology
and became a shareholder in ATI in 2007.
Training and the development of people
have always been an interest, even when
I worked in the corporate sector before I
joined ATI. However, I then focused more
on human development and not necessarily
on technical aspects. Developing people
and improving their lives have always been
a passion.
When I studied, I had no idea of the
career path I wanted to follow, and I felt
that the traditional academic programmes
were limiting. What I didn’t realise then
but discovered later on — once I started
working — was that I found it extremely
rewarding to develop people and make
them aware of what opportunities exist,
then nurture and unearth their true
potential.
Why is skills development so important in
South Africa?
Skills development is vital. It creates upward
mobility for young people in their careers
and allows us to broaden the talent pool and
create value for the South African economy.
One of the focus points of the government,
and something that has been emphasised
by President Ramaphosa on numerous
occasions, is the question of unemployment,
especially among the youth. There are ample
employment opportunities in the mining
and quarrying space, as these sectors require
a range of artisanal skills. Through providing
the youth with the necessary set of skills, we
can ensure sustainable employment, which
will broaden the tax base and empower
young people to gain the self-confidence to
maybe later in their lives create their own
small companies.
What are your hopes and dreams for South
African artisanal skills in the next 10 years?
Where is skills development heading?
Artisanal skills should not be a second
option, but the first choice for school leavers.
Artisanal work has to be regarded as a
viable career, and a trade regarded as an
opportunity to improve one’s life, regardless
of what grades the student obtains. New
and developing technologies require more
advanced and higher-level skills, and skills
development programmes have obviously
been affected by what people refer to as the
Fourth Industrial Revolution. We have seen
advanced technologies in, for example, fault
finding and diagnostics. Furthermore, there
has been a trend towards more sophisticated
electronics, while the cost of skills training
seems to have become an issue, especially
for a number of small and medium-sized
businesses.
I believe that for as long as skills
development is seen as a significant
contributor to the economy, this will bring
the pride of being an artisan back to the
human race.
What are the biggest skills shortages
in the building, construction, and
quarrying sector?
It varies from year to year and from industry
to industry. Of course, it also depends on
the economy and commodity prices, and the
political situation. In one year there could
be a significant demand for artisanal skills
in the mining industry, and the next year
we get almost no requests from that sector,
while bigger numbers are then required
for the building sector. So, in other words,
the skills shortages change with the needs
of the economy. At the moment, it appears
that there is a huge appetite to acquire
electrical and mechanical (diesel and motor)
qualifications. This year, there has been a
noticeable shortage of riggers as well.
What are the new initiatives in the pipeline
that would drive skills development in the
industry?
Together with Harambee and the National
Tooling Initiative, we are forging a
partnership to drive pathways for job
creation relating to installation, repair, and
maintenance (IRM). We believe that industry,
private and public infrastructure require
these skills on a perpetual basis. This initiative
will also further the objectives relating to the
development of the township economy; a
relatively new concept. ■
QUARRY SA | JULY/AUGUST 2018 _ 11