Wednesday 19th April marked a milestone in the development of Westown. The Westown Training Centre was opened by eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda.
The Westown Foundation has partnered with the Stefanutti Stocks Academy to build a 2700 m2 training centre on the Westown construction. This is the first of many socio-economic and community development projects the Foundation will be involved in over the coming years.
Purpose Of The Training Centre
The training centre will provide development and training opportunities for qualifying individuals to accumulate knowledge, gain experience, increase their employability, and be CETA certified in specific construction skills.
Over the next two years, 60-80 operators will qualify and around 500 people will pass through the centre. They will all be equipped with the relevant skills to find work in the construction sector within the province, some of which will be at Westown.
All training is facilitated by the Stefanutti Stocks Academy which offers accredited Plant Operator training, and accredited Apprenticeship Programs. The focus is on job-specific skills development which means empowering individuals with the skills required to participate in a construction workplace, in a safe and meaningful way.
The construction skills trained include:
- Construction hand tools, basic concrete training, reinforcing, and formwork, brickwork, plasterwork and painting training. Safety training is also a part of the program.
- An onsite training simulator, equipped with a variety of modules, immerses the trainees in a virtual ‘on the job’ training experience.
Joining The Training Centre
Westown has prioritised qualifying individuals in the local wards surrounding the development. These individuals will follow a process run by the Westown social facilitator and Community Liaison Officers located on site. Those wishing to participate in the training centre are able to apply through the dedicated training contact page on the Westown website.
