All “cisterns” go for quality training in plumbing installations
Tjeka Training Matters’ quality training programmes have become an important channel for leading manufacturers and suppliers of materials, equipment and tools to introduce their products to up-and-coming artisans. In turn, this is helping to improve the quality of workmanship on building and civil-engineering construction projects.
To further enhance the training experience for its learners, this leading private Technical and Vocational Education and Training college also recently partnered with Dutton Plastics Engineering, an injection moulding company that manufactures an array of high-quality plumbing components. These include toilet seats, mechanisms, inlet and outlet valves, as well as wastes and shower traps. This is in addition to a range of accessories for these products.
“Dutton Plastics Engineering has a solid reputation in the market. Among others, the company is known for its extensive and ongoing investment into research and development that has enabled it to remain at the forefront of innovation in the plumbing industry since 1987. It, therefore, also has a lot to share with our learners regarding new and inventive plumbing technologies, especially innovation that is helping homeowners and businesses save water. Demand management has become a very important focus for the plumbing industry over the years. This trend will continue considering the need to conserve water in a water-stressed country. In this way, our learners have a holistic view of the industry when they start working in the field and are able to start adding value from the first day on the job,” Frans Toua, Chief Executive Officer of Tjeka Training Matters, says.
Bruns Steenkamp, Sales Representative of Dutton Plastics Engineering, recently participated in plumbing training that was undertaken by Train-the-Nation and its associate Tjeka Training Matters. The training was provided at Tjeka Training Matters’ state-of-the-art training and trade testing facility in Randfontein. It was facilitated by Tjeka Training Matters’ Rashaad White, a professional training facilitator and qualified plumber.
“It was a very interactive training session with learners asking many interesting and intelligent questions about Dutton Plastics Engineering’s technology. They were particularly fascinated with our state-of-the-art flushing mechanisms. These have always been extremely popular products among homeowners and businesses considering the significant water savings that they provide. Using our flushing mechanisms, homes are able to save up to 5 000l/month and premises with many occupants as much as 60 000l/month. Considering the increasing focus on saving water due to rising municipal tariffs and the need to conserve this resource, learners will be expected to be very familiar with our products when they start working in the field. This includes having an ability to correctly install, maintain and repair our range of equipment while working under the supervision of a qualified plumber,” Steenkamp says.
The group completed a short course designed to impart basic plumbing skills as the first step towards becoming a qualified plumber. Tjeka Training Matters’ short courses are very popular among the mines for community training programmes. Contractors also use this service to assist them in meeting their socio-economic development targets and to swiftly equip workers who they recruit from communities with quality skills for contracts.
White says that he is proud of the progress made by this group of learners. “They are all currently unemployed and were selected by the mine to undergo training to help improve their prospects of finding jobs in the plumbing industry where there is a very high demand for skilled workers. I was also impressed to see that women were again very well represented in our plumbing training programme. This means that they continue to show an interest in the profession and this exactly what we need to help transform the industry. In my experience, they make better plumbers considering that they are conscientious and have an eye for detail,” he concludes.