South African Business 2018 edition

SPECIAL FEATURE Roof

SPECIAL FEATURE Roof maintenance specialists Topps Group South Africa has developed a detailed training module where roofers and waterproofers can attain qualifications while learning about the characteristics of the products they will apply to roofing surfaces. The programme is delivered by the company that applies the roofing products after their staff have been trained by Topps. Volkswagen South Africa has several skills and training programmes which include the Commercial Trainee Programme, the Graduate Trainees, Further Education Training and Wanderjahre programmes. In the motor manufacturer’s home town of Uitenhage, Volkswagen has five learning academies. Open to employees and suppliers, the academies’ programmes are SETA-accredited. and offer a range of courses available through workshops, exercises, e-learning or on-the-job-training. Higher education With the inauguration of the Sol Plaatje University (Northern Cape) and the University of Mpumalanga, every province now has its own university, of which there are 26 in all. The Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University has also opened in Gauteng. There are three categories of university: universities offering only degrees and post-graduate courses with a strong research component, comprehensive universities offering a mix of degrees and diplomas and universities of technology, formerly known as technikons. There are also 87 registered and 27 provisionally registered private higher education institutions. Universities of technology have a specific focus on educating young people in fields that will enhance the country’s economic performance. Some of the courses can be very demanding. Among the new courses on offer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) are diplomas in geomatics (one of South Africa’s most sought-after skills to aid surveyors, town planners and civil engineers), clothing and textile technology, and horticulture and landscape architecture. CPUT also offers a range of short courses, allowing employed people the opportunity to get up to speed in an area of specialisation or to understand new developments in a particular field. Sometimes an employer will ask CPUT to structure a course for a group of employees, for example, in ICT. These courses do not earn candidates diplomas, but may be used to gain credits. Traditional universities are also aware of the need to align their courses and research programmes with the needs of the economy. There are three World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centres at UWC and the Centre of Excellence in Food Security (with Pretoria University) is funded by the National Research Foundation and the Department of Science and Technology. Biotechnology and food security come together in the Plant Biotechnology Research group at UWC, which studies ways of developing crops that can resist drought. This kind of focus on specific challenges facing society in South Africa is an example of universities working to make their research relevant. The University of Cape Town is offering a course in Health Innovation that encourages talented young South Africans to find solutions to the country’s health problems. Another UCT degree that tackles a specific challenge faced in the South African economy is a master’s in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development. Private colleges such as MANCOSA (Management College of Southern Africa) often specialise in particular fields. In this case, a range of certificates, diplomas and degrees in business, commerce and administration is presented at five sites around South Africa. SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2018 36

INTERVIEW Empowerment through training Marius Alberts, Sales Manager for Topps Products Group Africa, explains how the company’s training programme is empowering roofers and waterproofers. Marius Alberts Tell us about the training you offer. We offer training for the coating application in waterproofing. We developed training which is focused on workmanship and consumer satisfaction. What underpins the training programme? In our Corporate Social Responsibility programme, we understand that there are challenges in South Africa. If you can understand your challenges, that knowledge becomes power. It is not always about the money. If you are completing the value chain and the main focus is the end consumer, they will get the benefit, and that is a story to tell! BIOGRAPHY Marius Alberts received his Diploma as Coating Inspector Level 2 from the NACE Corrosion Institute in 2013 and is planning to finish Level 3 soon. He has extensive experience in the coating industry: Coating and Waterproofing. For Marius, you can see him as a life coach. His core values you can measure ongoing, which are: Integrity, not being Complacent, Honest and Transparent in all dealings. What is the focus of the course? To enhance the surface preparation, workmanship, customer satisfaction as well as product knowledge. We have done training with 42 companies; these companies offer the training to their staff. We offer a back-to-back guarantee, which means the company takes responsibility for the workmanship and we as Topps Products SA give the product guarantee. Is the training certified? Yes, absolutely. The regulation speaks for itself. Now the consumer gets a pillow to sleep on. What is the next phase? Our Corporate Social Responsibility programme is focused on uplifting the value chain. We will be measuring the growth of every student and report back, ongoing. What next for Topps Products SA? With the green movement in SA, our products fit like a glove. We see the trend in the market for green products and there is a big appetite out there. With our proven track record of over two decades we will roll out in every sector of SA. We are focused on contractors and retail stores. 37 SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2018