The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa recently presided over the handing over of 73 Rand Water Academy (RWA) graduates who completed their 18-months vocational training in the fields of science, engineering and technical.

The RWA is a three year vocational program offered to qualified unemployed graduates during which they spend 19 months at the academy and are then handed over to identified municipalities for another 18 months.

“This handover is an important milestone in the history of Rand Water Academy as it symbolises the outcome of the vision shared with the Department of Water an Environmental Affairs and the recent municipalities which is aimed at increasing the skills pool in the water and sanitation sector.”

The academy will assist in the creation of employment for young, qualified graduates by providing critical skills that are desperately needed in the water sector.

The graduates consist of 30 Quality Generalists, 40 Process Controllers and three Engineers. The recipient municipalities are Govan Mbeki Municipality; Emalahleni Municipality; Thembisile Hani Local Municipality; Tshwane Metropolitan Council and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council. Rand Water will continue to provide an oversight function while the graduates are at the municipalities.