September 2022.

A technical skills development programme has successfully provided and trained six youth from Noupoort, who have completed a Wind Turbine Service Training Programme. This initiative is not only important for participants but will help to provide a trained workforce for the wind power sector in our country.

In collaboration with Study Trust, the programme’s implementing partner, Noupoort Wind Farm funded this programme, which prioritises skills development and job access in the wind energy sector for the local youth.

“There are so many youths living in our local communities who are unemployed, and it is imperative that we invest in upskilling them so they can either enter the workforce or become entrepreneurs and create jobs in their communities,” said Sandisiwe Mntonintshi, Economic Development Manager at Noupoort Wind Farm.

As part of the programme, beneficiaries received 21 days of training under the stewardship of the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC).

One of the beneficiaries, Leverne Peterse, had this to say, “Through this training programme I gained a lot of valuable knowledge and am especially grateful for the opportunity as I never got the chance to attend college or university. I plan on furthering my studies by enrolling in engineering or business-related courses and earning a tertiary qualification. Alternatively, I may choose to get a job with the qualifications obtained from this training.”

Among the training modules were Basic Safety Training (BST) and Basic Technical Training (BTT), conducted by SARETEC at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). This includes seven learning modules in Business Administration. In addition to the training, participants were provided with accommodation, transport from Noupoort to Cape Town and back, daily meals, and a stipend.