NEWS

NIIT BPO training celebrated

Thinking strategically

A fresh start for prison inmates

Albert Luthuli Centre entrusted to Umfolozi College

Celebrations at Diploma Ceremony

ICDL Growing

Seeing is believing: College open days

The SACPO National Sports Tournament held in Cape Town recently yielded excellent results for an Umfolozi College student who participated.  Nomthandazo Kubheka, of the Esikhawini Campus was selected by the Banyana Banyana Coach and left KZN for Capet Town in September 2011 to join the team as they train for the international Soccer tournament to take place in London later this year.  Well done Nomthandazo, we are proud of you!

The 12 internship students were chosen from amongst a group who began their training at the College in mid 2009, as part of a pilot partnership initiative between Umfolozi College, the NIIT, the CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) and the Moses Kotane Instituted based in Durban.   The initiative aims to train unemployed youth in ITC and Business Processing Outsourcing with the specific objective of developing scarce ITC skills in KZN.  Speaking at the farewell function held for the students in Durban last week, KZN Premier Zweli Mkhize outlined his dream of developing KZN into the ITC hub of South Africa.  He told the students that as the first students going over to India as part of this pilot project brokered between himself and the Indian government, they had a responsibility to make the most of the wonderful opportunity they had been given and pave the way for other South African students to benefit in the same way.  “Go and gain as many skills as possible to allow South Africa to be a global economic player - we want you to come back and be part of that new breed of South African Youth who know where the country should be going and are prepared to be part of it”, he said.

During their one year stay in India, the students will be attending formal training sessions as well as obtaining valuable international work experience in an Indian Company, TSS Total Soft Solutions, using a USA Process.  The Consul General of India, Mr Anil K Sharan, highlighted that India has developed a strong BPO community, with millions of Indian youth accessing career opportunities with international companies through BPO because of the economic conditions in India that have turned it into an international BPO hub. 

As the time came to depart it was obvious that the students were a little overwhelmed by all the attention, and the fact that they were about to board a plane for India – none of them ever having flown anywhere at all before!  It was also tough for some of the students to take their leave of their families and many tears were shed before the boarding gates closed, but there was also a buzz amongst the students and a tangible energy as they spoke excitedly of all they would see and learn in the year to come. 

Umfolozi College is currently recruiting students for its second round of training.  Click here for details.

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Rubbing shoulders with the Premier and the MEC in Durban on the day of departure.

Farewells at the airport!

Opportunities through re-skilling

Umfolozi College, the Merseta, apprenticeship training provider: Wilbat, and a local company: Okapi, have joined forces to try and turn a bad situation into something good!   Together they have opened up new opportunities for 14 retrenched operators by re-skilling them through a welding skills programme.

It all began when Umfolozi College was approached by the Merseta who informed them that Okapi was in the unfortunate position of having to retrench some operators.  The Merseta wanted the College to work with Okapi, and Wilbat as primary training provider, to find a way of re-skilling the affected staff of Okapi so that they would be in a better position to find alternative employment.    After discussions it was proposed that the 14 candidates be retrained as assistant artisans – through an NQF Level 2 programme.  Welding was identified as a specific niche area where many employment and self-employment opportunities exist.  But, there were some challenges to be tackled which included the fact that some of the candidates did not meet the entry level requirements for the programme and also had not undergone any formal training in a long time.  To overcome these problems, the initially planned programme duration was extended to allow for a bridging phase to be included.   The programme proposal had to be approved by organised labour and fortunately it was: by NUMSA and so the project went ahead. 

Umfolozi College, through and with the extensive support of Wilbat, provided the institutional training component of the programme, while Okapi kept the staff employed in order to provide the work place training component.  

In May, the partners gathered to celebrate the completion of both the institutional and workplace training components of the project, with the trainees having been specifically trained in the production of burglar bars.  The programme funding also allowed for each of the 14 trainees to receive a new welding machine and the necessary basic tools to start up their own small welding ventures. 

“These trainees now have the opportunity to either seek employment or to embark on their own businesses”, said Umfolozi College Acting Rector: Sam Zungu, before he went on to announce that the College would also be offering the trainees training to strengthen their chances of succeeding through its New Venture Creation programme. 

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The students are the first group of candidates who began their studies with Umfolozi College and the NIIT (in partnership with the Moses Kotane Institute) during mid 2009.  They had to undergo rigorous testing before embarking on the programme to ensure that the students chosen to benefit where those that had the highest chance of success.  These students, 352 students in total, will shortly be completing the formal part of their training and venturing out to seek experiential opportunities.  Thanks to the NIIT, some of these students may even find themselves garnering invaluable experience in India!

At the celebratory events held at Esikhawini in March, and Mandeni in May 2010, the students staged role plays for representatives of NIIT and the Moses Kotane Institute as well as Umfolozi College management representatives and fellow students, in order to show case what they had learned during their training and the importance of IT in business.  Students who had excelled at their studies were then singled out and applauded for their achievements.

NIIT students carrying out role plays to demonstrate the importance of IT in business during recent celebratory events held at Umfolozi College’s Mandeni and Esikhawini Campuses

NIIT, Moses Kotane Institute and Umfolozi College representatives with some of the NIIT students that were rewarded for their hard work.

Talking Strategically

Umfolozi College Council members, management and other representatives converged at Hluhluwe for a weekend during April to focus their thoughts and creative energy on future plans for the College.  Innovative ideas for the future sustainability of the College where high on the agenda as was planning of programmes and activities to more fully meet the needs of College students.  The presence of Mr Wilson Nzimande, Rector of Coastal KZN College, a sister college to Umfolozi in KZN, showed the dedication of the KZN FET Sector in addressing the challenge of offering useful education and training programmes to our vast joint community.  Mr Nzimande, in the spirit of provincial togetherness, shared best practices and case studies from his College with the Umfolozi team.  The exciting plans and ideas that came out of the workshop will now be aligned with provincial and national objectives and incorporated in to daily planning at the College.

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College Council and Management members brainstorming at the College's strategic planning session held in April.

Wilson Nzimande of Coastal KZN FET Colleges shares some success stories with Umfolozi College. 

A Fresh Start

Umfolozi College, in partnership with Business Against Crime Zululand and the local Department of Correctional Services has been able to offer 13 inmates of Qalakabusha Prison an opportunity for a fresh start with skills training that will provide them with income generating opportunities after their release from prison.

The trainees received training in sewing.  While this may seem surprising, as they are all men, the men proved themselves to be skilled at the tasks they undertook, producing clothing good enough to 'be sold at Woolworths' according to BAC Manager, Sophie Zwane.

At the certificate handover ceremony held at the prison on Wednesday, 3 March 2010, the atmosphere was charged with optimism with the trainees and their fellow inmates alike celebrating the completion of the training with dancing and singing routines filled with vigour.  A well put together and impressive fashion show rounded off the day's proceedings. 

Guest speaker, Dr Sibeko summed up the spirit of the partnership and the event when he said "what brought you here is immaterial, what matters is what you choose from now on!".

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Albert Luthuli Centre entrusted to
Umfolozi College 

Umfolozi College and the Albert Luthuli Education and Development Trust have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see the College incorporating the Trust’s Skills Centre at Groutville into the College.  The Centre will be used by the College to deliver a range of skills training programmes to the surrounding community – these include: bricklaying & plastering; carpentry; end-user computing and plumbing.  Renovations will commence soon with a view to establishing the centre as a world class training delivery site with the ultimate goal of being able to offer some of the National Certificate (Vocational) programmes from this site as well.

Speaking at the signing of the agreement at the Centre last week, the General Manager: FET Colleges KZN, Dr Enoch Nzama stated ‘we are witnessing a dream come true – the renovation of this facility to be come a centre of excellence’. Umfolozi College Council Chairman, Mr Themba Fakazi committed the College to working together with the Trust to ensure that the centre would once again operate at full capacity.  Mrs Veli Luthuli said that she was pleased to hear of plans to restore the centre to its previous state, ‘and even better’.

The Albert Luthuli Development Trust was established in 1992 to honour the philosophies of Chief Albert Luthuli, who was presented with the 1960 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring racial equality to South Africa through non-violent means.  Ahmed Kathrada of the Nelson Mandela Foundation writes: ‘Chief Luthuli was a man of exceptional foresight, courage, dignity, compassion and generosity of spirit’.  By all accounts he believed in education as they way to a brighter future for all South Africans.  Umfolozi College will strive to hold his legacy high as it serves communities from this new training site that carries his honourable name.

Renovations will begin immediately and a re-launch of the centre will take place as soon as these are complete.

For further information contact Umfolozi College, Mandeni Campus, Tel: 032 456 3626.

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At the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Albert Luthuli Education and Development Trust and Umfolozi College: Dr EV Nzama (General Manager, FET Colleges, KZN Department of Education); Mrs V Luthuli (Speaker: Kwadukuza Municipality), Mr T Fakazi (Chairman: Umfolozi College Council), Mrs M Visser (Rector: Umfolozi College); and Mr Khuzwayo (Albert Luthuli Education and Development Trust)

Celebrations at Umfolozi College 

In September 2009, Umfolozi College congratulated over 100 graduates who received their business and engineering Diplomas from the College in a ceremony held at the Richtek Campus.  A jubilant audience did justice to the three years of hard work and dedication that the students had completed as they cheered their achievements, while the campus choir set a celebratory tone.

In her message to the graduates, College Rector: Mariette Visser highlighted some of the achievements of the College over the same three year period.  The College had undergone extensive changes in this time due largely to the introduction of the new NC(V) programmes, but it had also grown, as its students had, and learned from its experiences.  She added that the College facilities and workshops had been extensively upgraded so that industry could now rest assured that the college is delivering training that is relevant to their needs. 

Amidst the celebrations guest speaker, Professor Albert Modi urged the graduates to embrace the concept of Ubuntu by not forgetting the communities they came from – and utilising their new skills, not only for their own betterment, but for the betterment of those communities too.  In so doing they could help to build a better South Africa.

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Graduates are lead in to the ceremony during the Academic procession while the College Management and guests look on.

The Richtek Campus choir set a celebratory tone for the Ceremony in their colourful garments and with their jubilent singing.

ICDL growing at Umfolozi College

Umfolozi College is set to open a 2nd ICDL (International Computer Driving Licence) training site.  The first, opened at its Richtek Campus in May has since carried out over 124 tests with an 85% pass rate.    Of these 5 tests were passed with 100%.  The usage of the centre by Unisa students is also growing steadily. 

With the accreditation of the first Mandeni based trainer now complete, the College is gearing up to open a second training site – this time at its Mandeni Campus.  This will ensure greater access to the training for the communities served by the College in the Mandeni and Stanger areas. 

The ICDL, which offers comprehensive training in end-user computing, gives trainees a thorough grounding, immeasurably improving their employment opportunities.  As a public FET College, Umfolozi is able to offer the programme at a very competitive rate, improving access to this internationally recognised computer course for people who ordinarily cannot afford to complete it.

The full ICDL programme consists of seven modules including training in hardware & software, file management, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Access, Outlook and the internet.   However, a starter version of the course, which offers four modules, is also available. 

The course is currently available at the College’s Richtek Campus on a part-time basis either as a weekday evening class or on Saturday mornings, dependent on demand.  Students already busy with ICDL studies as part of full qualifications being completed with institutions such as UNISA may also write their ICDL exam at Umfolozi College, for a nominal fee.  The new site at Mandeni is expected to be up and running from January 2010.

For further information contact Barry Mutlow at Richtek Campus, Tel: 084 525 0321,  E-mail: bmutlow@richtek.co.za; or Sanjith Hooblal at Mandeni Campus Tel: 032 456 3626.

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ICDL students at the Umfolozi College Richtek Campus.

Marketing & Communications Department: ndlovub@umfolozicollege.co.za