Sandvik Rock Processing South Africa, formed this year with the acquisition by Sandvik of Kwatani and Schenk, asserts that it is steadily growing its reputation in designing, manufacturing and continuous upskilling.

The technical and operational upskilling programmes include apprenticeships, learnerships and university bursary schemes. Apprentices are selected and supported to pursue careers such as boilermakers, fitters and millwrights; the apprenticeship programme lasts three to four years, and is conducted in collaboration with the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Merseta) explains Sandvik Rock Processing South Africa human resources manager Lylian Kgatla.

“What is also important has been to make sure that our training efforts are well aligned with the company strategy as well as with employment equity and black economic empowerment requirements,” says Kgatla. “Most of our customers are in the mining sector, and in South Africa this means that they have objectives in terms of the Mining Charter – which their supply partners must help them to meet.”

Sandvik Rock Processing South Africa also supports external learnerships for unemployed youth, with the theory component provided by outside training organisations and practical exposure given at its manufacturing facility in Kempton Park.

Kgatla adds that candidates are previously disadvantaged, unemployed learners who may not have yet earned a matriculation certificate. The programme advances them through NQF Levels 1, 2 and 3 so that they can achieve a matric-level qualification for their further studies.

There is also a bursary programme focused on disciplines relevant to Sandvik Rock Processing south Africa to fund students in scarce and critical fields such as mechanical, design and process engineering.