Road construction training in the fast lane
Tjeka Training Matters continues to build on a long professional relationship with leading road construction companies. Among these civil-engineering contractors is Hillary Construction which relies on Tjeka Training Matters to equip its employees with the skills that they need to work in a more productive, efficient and accurate, as well as safer manner.
Hillary Construction recently enrolled a group of candidates at Tjeka Training Matters to complete a one-year Construction Roadworker National Qualifications Framework 3 Learnership. Components of this training were undertaken at Tjeka Training Matters’ state-of-the-art training centre in Randfontein. The practical component of the civil and road construction courses is presented outside in simulated areas and theoretical instruction in classrooms. Notably, the facility is able to accommodate between 150 and 200 candidates at any given time.
The training was facilitated by Christina Klaas, who holds a National Diploma: Surveying and is an experienced roadworker. She is also very adept at transferring her wealth of skills and knowledge to others. The extensive construction experience of Tjeka Training Matters’ training facilitators remains one of the private technical and vocational education and training college’s key differentiators. Tjeka Training Matters’ strength has always been its focus on only providing quality civil-engineering construction and building training. This is demonstrated by the high quality of mentorship that learners receive while completing the practical component of their training.
Moreover, the best tools, equipment and materials are made available for learning. “Our motto is training for ‘zero’ defects. This is exactly why leading road construction companies insist that we train their employees. Quality workmanship is only possible if employees are equipped with the correct skills, as well as the tools, equipment and materials that are needed to get the job correctly done the first-time round. Moreover, we want our learners to have a head-start by being very familiar with construction products that they will definitely encounter on a typical road construction contract,” Klaas says.
For example, when Hillary Construction’s employees set out pipes, culverts and transfer levels as part of the practical components of their training, they only worked with STABILA levels. Upat SA’s STABILA products, including Dumpy Levels, are used throughout Tjeka Training Matters’ construction learnerships, skills paths and short courses. This is because of their precision and ease of use. They have two measuring surfaces, enabling accurate measurement in any position – including in reverse. Measuring accuracy is about 0,5mm/m in the conventional position and about 0,75mm/m in reverse. Their electrostatic powder coating allows the kind of dirt that is typically accumulated on construction sites to be removed easily. This helps to keep STABILA levels in tip-top condition so that they can continue adding value.
“It is anticipated that road construction will increase significantly over the next three years. This demand for quality road construction services will be driven by the South African National Roads Agency Limited. Tjeka Training Matters looks forward to assisting our ‘road builders’ raise the proficiencies of their employees so that they are better able to deliver world class infrastructure on time and within budget,” Klaas concludes.