UThukela District Mayor Inkosi NB Shabalala officially welcomed the Durnacol Skills Hub interns who will start their in-training programme with the Uthukela municipality.
The Mayor was accompanied by Speaker Cllr TY Nqubuka, Chairperson of Water and Sanitation Portfolio Cllr MM Khoza, Chairperson of Corporate Service Portfolio Cllr F Zuma, Municipal Manager, MB Mnguni and Durnacol Skills Hub Management.
The programme aims to give students the opportunity for career exploration and development and to learn practical skills to obtain their qualifications, gain real work experience, and provide meaningful assistance in the workplace.
More than 100 interns from Durnacol Skills Hub with different kinds of skills were introduced yesterday and will get their training skills under the Department of Water and Sanitation for 18 months. These students will be deployed in all three local municipalities under Uthukela District: Okhahlamba, Inkosi Langalibalele and Alfred Duma.
Mayor Shabalala advised them to behave well to make a good name for themselves in the municipality. The Mayor also said it was gratifying that these students saw uThukela District as a place to put their skills to good use.
“Become the ambassadors of your institution, Durnacol, and represent yourself and respect the job given to you. You are now expected to play your roles and responsibilities in ensuring that the community gets water”, said the Mayor.
“Beyond this training programme, we want you to get qualified. You all will enjoy this learning and training programme when you work hard. This means participating in all sessions, responding to tasks allocated, respecting each other and cooperation among people for the good of all”, concluded Mayor Shabalala.
Mnguni appreciated the partnership forged between the two institutions and said he believed that this opportunity would benefit us as the municipality and provide extra skills for the learners.
“It is one of those commodities that will assist in furthering your skills when you exit the institution. You will be able to be independent. When the opportunity of this nature presents itself, seize it and showcase your talent and market yourself so that if they are opportunities that would present themselves inside the district, you will then become the ambassador of your own institution”, he said.
E Daniels from Durnacol Skills Hub thanked the uThukela District Mayor for giving them this opportunity. “The power of education extends beyond the development of skills. It can contribute to nation-building and reconciliation. Thank you for the opportunity you’ve given our learners; when we came to the building, the humanity of the Mayor came out when he came to greet us.
Today, we are partnering with uThukela District to ensure the skills are passed on to the next generation”, said Daniel’s.
He concluded by saying the training they do there will only be complete if they allow learners to go to the workplace and get workplace exposure so they can come back and apply for a trade test.