The Kruger National Park (KNP)'s head of technical services, Blake Schraader presented certificates to 150 emerging contractors in Skukuza on August 19, 2011. The certificates are for the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) contractor training which ran for the first time in the Park (March-July 2011) and was funded by the government's department of environmental affairs' social responsibility programme.
The programme is aimed at supporting small and medium-sized companies in the construction industry and forms part of the KNP's broader strategy for economic empowerment and social responsibility programmes which focus on communities around the Park.
The training focused on the basics of providing skills such as occupational health and safety, first aid procedures, life skills, environmentally responsible work practice as well as technical vocational skills such as bricklaying, plastering, painting, thatching, tiling and plumbing.
The South African Wildlife College (SAWC), that has over the years contributed to the career development of the staff in the park and still continue to do so, facilitated the EPWP training programme on-site at the main camps in the park. With continuous funding from the department, the programme is set to continue in the park, in the next few years.
The KNP's HOD: Technical Services, Mr Blake Schraader hands over the certificate to emerging contractor, Ms Tsakane Mthombeni (based at Berg en Dal Camp) while the SAWC's Executive Manager: Operations, Mr Francois Nel (middle - back) and KNP's Senior Manager: Civil & Building, Mr Derek Visagie (left) look on.
