In partnership with the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE),  a gases and welding products group has invested more than R1 million in upgrading and resourcing the welding centres at five underprivileged technical high schools.

The schools include Katlehong Technical High School in Katlehong, Primrose High School in Germiston, Modiri Technical High School in Mamelodi, Missouri Secondary School in Eldorado Park and Jabulani Technical High School in Soweto.

Optimising welding skills

Through the GDE partnership, Afrox will provide learners with the opportunity to optimise their skills in the field of welding, which is currently a critically scarce skill in the country. The upgrading and resources partnership campaign was officially launched on last year at Jabulani Technical High School.

Afrox managing director, Brett Kimber says: “This partnership will provide the opportunity to improve knowledge and practical skills among teachers to enable them to deliver the full curriculum and enhance learner performance in mechanical technology.

The five school upgrades took six months to complete and included outfitting classrooms with welding equipment and consumables to conform to the highest of health and safety standards.Equipment investment covers a range of Afrox Transarc MIG inverter power sources and personal protective equipment as well as numerous consumables, such as alloys, electrodes and wires.

Teacher Training

As part of its commitment to the partnership, Afrox will also fund extensive teacher training in the field of welding. These teacher training programmes will provide additional support to the GDE’s ‘Turnaround Plan of Technical High Schools’.

The teacher training is an accredited 40-hour training programme scheduled over a ten-week period commencing in January 2015 and will take place at Afrox’s Demonstration Centre in Germiston.

Kimber confirms that Afrox is currently in the process of upgrading an additional 14 schools nationwide, in order to support the Government’s economic and skills development in South Africa. Regions benefiting include the Eastern and Western Cape, Free State, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

“Our long-term aim is to offer bursaries to matriculants by entering into partnerships with technical colleges nationwide. By creating awareness among school pupils, we want to encourage and promote a career in welding at grassroots level, through long-term partnerships,” he adds.