Green Economy Journal Issue 56

SKILLS
By the people,
FOR THE PEOPLE
Wind Industry Internship Programme reflects
THE COUNTRY’S ENERGY SECTOR GROWTH
The second Wind Industry Internship Programme has announced that it will double its placements
for 2023 and offer supplementary work-readiness training for the first time. The programme
supports the development of specialist skills needed to facilitate the exponential growth of the
industry, to support the country’s growth.
BY SAWEA
Direct 2 The People is at the cutting edge of green tech where
we deliver sustainable, mixed-use, closed-loop, agri-living
communities to developing countries throughout the world.
Our housing communities will be net-zero carbon, passive homes
using zero energy from the grid. Such buildings will be light on the
land, replacing concrete foundations with composite ground screws.
Not having to rely on the setting for the concrete, the ground screw can
immediately be loaded with our fibre glass reinforced pultrusion (FRP)
composite lightweight, high-strength frame.
The EEZI frame not only gives the structure the strength to withstand
hurricanes, earthquakes and tornados but allows the fully complete
modular floor, wall and roof to be inserted into the frame onsite. This
eliminates the use of heavy equipment and cranes on site.
The EEZI hemp floor, wall and roof, all external and internal cladding,
electrical wiring and conduits for fibre optic, television cables and
airflow throughout the structure are assembled at the factory.
The factory-finished structure is inserted into the EEZI lightweight
composite frame which adds extreme rigidity and strength to it. This
frame is designed fit-for-purpose for such building for the specific site
where it is constructed. The hemp walling system is a net-zero carbon
modular walling system which meets the requirements set by the
passive building standards.
Funded primarily by the Energy and Water Sector Education
Training Authority (EWSETA), in partnership with the South
Africa Wind Energy Association (SAWEA), the programme is
expected to place 35 interns, selected from over 90 applications,
this year. These interns are being placed across approximately 30
renewable energy companies – illustrating a growth of over 100%
in just one year.
“We are encouraged by the uptake of this programme and huge
increase of placements, knowing that young professionals are being
absorbed by our sector and are receiving the mentorship and practical
experience that they need,” says Niveshen Govender, CEO of SAWEA.
The Wind Industry Internship Programme (WIIP) provides young
professionals who have recently completed a degree or those
undertaking graduate programmes, with the opportunity to gain
practical work experience in line with their studies or interests, while
exposing them to work related to sustainable energy solutions.
This year, for the first time, the programme will include a 10-day workreadiness
training segment facilitated by an external service provider
that will coach the graduates in the soft skills necessary to enter the
workplace, for example, email etiquette, communication, working as
a team, etc. While the WIIP provides capacity building for the students,
it equally benefits the commercial wind power industry seeking to
source qualified students specialised in various professional fields.
Direct jobs can already be seen
through the employment drives that have
been undertaken by various companies
operating in the renewables sector.
“Equally important, the programme is recognised as a major
contributor to social, environmental and economic security in the
country,” explains Govender.
The demand for qualified and skilled talent is growing and the South
African industry, like its international counterparts, needs a rising pool
of qualified candidates to draw from.
SAWEA anticipates jobs in manufacturing, logistics, finance,
construction, and operational phases becoming available as Bid
Window 5 and Bid Window 6 projects come online. These comprise
of professional services, business services and sales. Requirements
include engineering, project management and development as well
as skills in environmental authorisations, amongst others. Direct jobs
can already be seen through the employment drives that have been
undertaken by various companies operating in the renewables sector.
The wind industry has diverse skills requirements; with the focus
areas of this programme being on the following broad skills areas:
• Engineering: energy, electrical, mechanical, chemical,
industrial, civil, etc
• Natural sciences and mathematics: physics, chemistry,
mathematics, statistics, environmental
sciences
• Administration and management:
accounting, business administration,
finance, procurement, human
resource management
• Social sciences/humanities: economics,
gender, international relations,
communication, population studies, law
• Information technology: computer
science, management information
systems, multimedia web design,
as well as software engineering.
Niveshen Govender,
CEO of SAWEA.
Due to the factory finished floor,
wall, roof and pods, a 65m² house can be
completed in one day on site.
The EEZI thermal modular alternative building system excels in its
thermal and acoustic performances as well as fire rating. This walling
system is alive, breathes and absorbs CO2 gas emissions over the entire
life of such building. Hemp walling systems have been in existence for
hundreds of years and have stood the test of time.
In addition to these achievements, the buildings are 100% airtight,
thus ensuring that we eliminate any airflow containing water vapour
which causes rot and mould.
This unique alternative building system achieves these characteristics
as the system uses no traditional building elements. These are sand,
stone, concrete, cement, bricks, blocks, steel, aluminium, wood, glass,
wooden trusses, cement roof tiles and gypsum ceilings.
All modular separate toilets, showers, baths and vanity glass are
delivered to site completed in their predetermined position in the
PEOPLE NOT POLITICS POLLUTION POLL
Direct 2 The People believes that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) will see the uprising of the
people, where the people’s voices will be heard.
Companies and shareholders polluting the planet will be judged by people rather than politics.
Those on the list of polluters will be boycotted and immediately feel the financial losses of polluting.
We are now able to track all polluters in a real-time basis, making it possible to reveal this information
to the discerning public so they can decide whether to support and purchase goods from polluters.
Certification standards will regulate products and goods in terms of pollution.
For this very reason, Direct 2 The People is launching the EEZI thermal modular composite building
system in Q1 of 2023.
building. Due to the factory finished floor, wall, roof and pods, a 65m²
house can be completed in one day on site.
This ground-breaking alternative building system is combined
with our Direct Art of Living model, which includes an economic
methodology that can contribute to the communities’ wellbeing
through the Direct 2 The People community way of life, allowing for
the following savings in capital and living costs:
• Capital cost of buildings reduced by 30%
• Energy and electrical cost reduced by 75%
• Water use reduced by 64%
The biggest saving will not only be the exclusion of rampant inflation
but also in lowering the cost of living to between 40% and 60%.
This community agri-living model is the future of smart living,
where production takes place at the place of consumption by the
local community resulting in food being produced “by the people for
the people”.
064 753 0041
info@direct2thepeople.com
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