MBA NEWS
UNLOCKING THE FUTURE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY The Skills Development Act of 1998 seeks to empower the South African workforce with skills, ensure employees access more opportunities for skill acquisition, create space for new entrants to the labour market to gain work experience and introduce transformative tools through training and education to redress unfair discrimination practices in the labour market. “As technological advancements and the Fourth Industrial Revolution bring significant changes to the construction industry, so the businesses and people operating in this shifting landscape need to equip themselves with the necessary skills to adapt and succeed,” says former president of the Master Builders’ Association of the Western Cape (MBAWC) and chairperson of the Skills and Education Trust, John Matthews. Celebrating its 130th year of existence, the MBAWC has historically offered training for artisans in the building industry in the Western Cape. The MBAWC Skills Programme was, however, formalised in 2002, at around (Above): John Matthews of the MBAWC.
“THE BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE OPERATING IN THIS SHIFTING LANDSCAPE NEED TO EQUIP THEMSELVES WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLS TO ADAPT AND SUCCEED.”
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the same time the Construction Sector Education & Training Authority (CETA) was introduced. CHANGING LANDSCAPE With a focus on continually upskilling workforces in the built environment, the MBAWC took the decision to purchase the Belhar Training College as a way of ensuring that more students were exposed to the skills needed to successfully operate in the construction industry. Matthews says it soon became apparent, however, that the association could not be all things to all people and within a few years, it sold the college to Northlink and formed the MBAWC Skills and Education Trust with the proceeds. “Since then, the trust has gone from strength to strength and supports not only employees of members of the MBAWC, but also non-members within the industry. Over the years, the trust has helped more than 180 people become qualified artisans, in addition to training many other individuals in various additional disciplines.” To adapt to the changing landscape of the industry, the trust has had to change its approach in recent years. While artisan training remains a priority, the trust now offers training across various levels within the building industry, adopting a more holistic approach. This is in addition to granting bursaries to students of the built environment, regardless of their year of study. SKILLS REQUIREMENTS Matthews says significant changes in the industry have also required a change in the types of skills needed. “There’s been a shift from focusing purely on what were previously deemed hard skills – ie working physically with one’s hands – to including managerial and supervisory-centred skills. “This shift has come about to boost artisan specialist skills in order to bridge the shortage of entrepreneurial skills which have become necessary in the changing landscape. Our approach now is to enable trainees not only to hone their artisanal skills, but to manage their time, their teams and possible risks of their respective projects efficiently.”
SOUTH AFRICAN BUILDER SEPTEMBER 2021
