THE COLLIERY TRAINING COLLEGE

The Colliery Training College in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga has been in existence since 1965. It has sailed through a number of changing epochs and has today transformed into an integrated training and development institution preparing its graduates for the 4th Industrial Revolution. Playing a pivotal role in shaping the success of the college is acting CEO Ms Khulile Shoba.

Municipal Focus (MF) caught up with her as the new year starts.

MF: Can you tell us about your background, education, and past work experience, and how that lead to your current position as Acting CEO of the College?

I started my career as HR Practitioner in Manufacturing, Mining and Education sectors. Culminating in my current role as Acting CEO at Colliery Training College. I hold a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management and have gained over 16 years of work experience.

Acting CEO Ms Khulile Shoba

My human resources background endowed me with a combination of strategic thinking and strong leadership abilities, coupled with effective communication skills. These abilities have laid a solid foundation that allows me to handle the role of the acting Chief Executive Officer effectively and to be able to execute the strategic objectives of CTC. My people management skills I value the most as they have enabled me to motivate the teams I have had the honour of leading to achieve the exceptional results.

MF: How long have you worked for CTC?

I started in CTC in May 2016, making it over 7 years.

MF: With your wealth of experience in the education and mining sectors, what are the highlights of that experience?

I have had the pleasure of working for Mining and Manufacturing companies at the height of their prime and be present at the same companies at the time of extreme distress. I have had opportunities to reflect on why companies that are very good at certain points in time eventually go into decline.

Part of the challenge facing these companies was ensuring that organisational skills and competencies remain relevant, given the ever changing environmental, technological, industrial and regulatory contexts. This was what evolved my current passions in the skills development field - how could we contribute to this national challenge of ensuring that we develop effective partnerships across all stakeholders to ensure that society always has the requisite skillsets to deal with its challenges?

The country needs to continue to develop Strong Industry Connections and Partnerships, and these partnerships need to turn diligent students into competent and skilled professionals.

MF: What in your view is the strategic role or key role of CTC in the mining training sector, and the training sector in the province and/country?

The Colliery Training College (Pty) Ltd. was founded in 1965. Initially, CTC was established to cater only for the mining sector but has since diversified. Engineering artisan skills training is now available for all Industry sectors. The demand for engineering artisans in both the Public and Private sectors in South Africa is growing rapidly.

CTC is accredited by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and has developed strong working relationships with various SETAs to advance the national skills development agenda. CTC is committed to responding to the National Skills Plan – Vision 2030.

Here's a breakdown of CTC strategic contributions to that vision:

• Skills shortages: The operations that require a specialized workforce with technical expertise, safety awareness, and operational knowledge. CTC has a demonstrated capability to provide training programs to roles like miners, engineering artisans, technicians, geologists, engineers, and maintenance personnel, aligning with industry needs and filling crucial gaps.

• Boosting Productivity and Efficiency: A skilled workforce leads to improved operational efficiency, increased productivity, and enhanced safety standards within mines. This translates to cost savings, increased profitability, and better resource utilization for mining companies.

• Promoting Technological Adoption: The industry is increasingly embracing automation and advanced technologies. CTC equips workers with the necessary skills to operate and maintain new technologies, ensuring smooth integration and maximizing their benefits.

• Social Development and Poverty Reduction: CTC provides skills that result in employment opportunities, particularly for local communities, contribute to poverty reduction, improved social well-being and reducing reliance on foreign skilled labour. This fosters inclusive development and strengthens local communities.

• For the Country’s Economic Growth and Diversification:

CTC provides the industry with a skilled workforce that allows them to contribute to our country's GDP. CTC plays a crucial role in this by ensuring the sector's long-term sustainability and competitiveness, potentially contributing to economic diversification, and attracting further investments.

• Knowledge Transfer and Innovation: CTC acts as a hub for knowledge exchange and innovation within the mining sector.

• CTC facilitates collaboration: between industry, institutions of higher learning, research institutions, and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Original Technology Manufacturer (OTMs) so that we can train students on the latest technologies emerging in the industry.

MF: Is coal mining the only industry the College supports?

Notably CTC is very proud of its coal mining industry heritage but we have since expanded our engineering artisan training offering to the broader Mining, Manufacturing, Energy, Agriculture, Oil and Gas and Automobile sectors.

MF: According to research, skills development is the best way to bridge unemployment. What is the role of CTC in preparing students for the labor market and entrepreneurship?

Engineering artisan training comprises three (3) components:

1. Knowledge;

2. Practical;

3. Workplace Experiential Learning.

That learning takes place in two forms, 70% in the workplace and 30% at the training center. This combination of leaning ensures that when the leaners qualify, they have workplace knowledge and are already prepared for the labour market.

CTC’s current five-year strategy is that it will transition into three campuses; a Skills Development Campus, a Technology Development Campus and an Enterprise Development Campus.

The Enterprise Development Campus will cater for all entrepreneurship skills and provide the engineering artisans with the potential to go into existing employment or develop their own SMEs.

MF: Coal mining and mining in general has been a maledominated industry, what, if anything is the college doing to introduce more women to the sector?

CTC has made a lot of progress in terms of gender inclusivity. As we speak 35% of CTC graduates are women, in that respect we are leading in the industry by providing a pool of competent and qualified female engineering artisans and miners.

i. We adopted policies and procedures that promote gender equality, such as equal pay for equal work and zero tolerance for harassment and discrimination.

ii. We have Invested in training and developing women facilitators. Thus we have created role models for the female students. This has helped to increase the number of women with the skills and knowledge necessary to enter the mining industry.

MF: What (if anything) are the challenges that the college is facing in our present environment and how do you and your team plan navigate your way around them?

The college is facing load-shedding challenges that are impacting larger parts of the county, causing disruptions to both water and electricity supply, however we have been able to mitigate the negative impact to our leaners by having contingency plans in place.

By having Electricity Generators and Back up water storage systems.

MF: What are some of the recent student achievements that the college has witnessed?

• CTC Engineering students achieved 75% pass rate for the trade test first attempt.

• CTC underground training section leads within all safety stats such as 21 years LTI free. This in an environment where 90% of all work is done with Labour (Learners) with little to no skill or experience.

• A significant number of CTC alumni have developed to become captains of their industry e.g. General Managers, Mining Managers and Engineering mangers etc.

MF: The principle of accountability and clean governance is clear in your leadership style, how has this impacted the college’s achievements?

Thank you for recognizing the importance of accountability and clean governance in my leadership style. I believe these principles are crucial for driving success in any organization, and I'm glad you see them reflected in our work at the college.

Here are some specific ways how CTC commitment to accountability and clean governance has impacted the college's achievements:

1. Transparency and Open Communication:

Regularly sharing key performance indicators and progress reports across the organisation. This ensures all stakeholders, from training officers and staff to students, are informed about the college's goals, progress, and challenges.

Open communication channels: We regularly engage with training Officers, staff, and students through forums, and one-on-one meetings to gather feedback and address concerns. This promotes a culture of trust and encourages participation in decision-making.

Commitment to ethical conduct:

CTC Board and Leadership collective has established clear policies and procedures for ethical conduct and conflict of interest, and we lead by example in holding each other accountable to these standards.

This fosters a culture of integrity and accountability throughout the college.

2. Data-Driven Decision Making:

Utilizing data and analytics to inform strategic decisions: By basing our decisions on evidence rather than personal opinions or anecdotes, we ensure that our resources are allocated effectively and that our programs are delivering the desired outcomes.

Tracking progress and measuring impact: We regularly monitor key metrics to assess the effectiveness of our programs and initiatives. This allows us to adjust and make course corrections as needed, ensuring that we are continuously improving.

Openness to feedback and evaluation: We actively seek feedback from stakeholders on our decision-making processes and the effectiveness of our programs. This allows us to identify areas for improvement and ensure that we are accountable to our stakeholders.

3. Accountability and Performance Management:

Setting clear goals and expectations: We work with training officers, staff, and department heads to establish clear and measurable goals for each department and individual. This ensures that everyone is accountable for their work and that we are all working towards achieving the same objectives.

Regular performance evaluations: We have a fair and transparent performance evaluation system that provides everyone with an opportunity to receive feedback and improve their performance.

Rewarding success and addressing underperformance: We recognize and reward individuals and departments that consistently exceed expectations. We also provide support and guidance to those who are struggling to meet their goals.

I believe that these practices have contributed to several of the CTC's achievements, including:

• Strong academic performance: Our students consistently score well and achieve higher pass rates than our expectations.

• Increased enrolment and retention: We have seen a steady increase in the number of students who choose to attend our college, and we are able to retain a high percentage of them throughout their studies.

• Improved financial stability: We have implemented sound financial management practices that have resulted in a

balanced budget and increased investment in training mock ups and student accommodation services.

• Positive reputation: CTC is recognized as a leader in our field, and we attract experienced Training Officers from across various industries and students from the SADC region.

Ultimately, I believe that a commitment to accountability and clean governance is not just the right thing to do, but it is also essential for achieving success in any organization. By establishing a culture of trust, transparency, and data-driven decision-making, we can ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals and that we are achieving the best possible outcomes for our students, Employees, Partners, Stakeholders across the wider society.

MF: What makes the college different from other colleges?

CTC operates a basic underground training centre. It was designed and structured to support and regulate the basic training and requirements for an Underground Coal Miner. This is for them to safely and profitably mine coal within the South African coal fields, regardless of seam or conditions.

The underground training centre has been operational on Greenside Colliery for a greater part of 50 years and has been cemented into its culture and growth over these years.

The underground Section, and cultures we live by, have become the base line and routes in which ALL Miners, Shift overseers, Mine Overseers, Mine Managers and most General managers mine and manage today.

CTC is the only training college that provides this training in the Country.

MF: Does the college cater for students with disabilities?

We do cater for students with disabilities, we also collaborate with employers to make sure that the students will be accommodated in the workplace for their on-the job training.

MF: In the current climate, how do you keep yourself grounded and focused on the college’s vision?

My family, especially my kids keep me

grounded. My contribution to CTC’s vision, I hope, will be my legacy to them.

MF: Where would you like to see the college in the next 10 years?

• CTC will be a paperless digital campus, with a hybrid teaching model where students can enrol and start training anywhere and only come to the campus to do practical training on both the digital and physical mock ups.

• CTC would have established a technology centre and the enterprise centre.

• The Technology Centre will be for research and development where we develop our own technology instead of being only consumers of technology.

• The Enterprise Development Centre will have empowered new entrepreneurship skills and supported engineering artisans to develop their own SMEs.

MF: As we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of our country’s Democracy, can you give us any message that you would like to convey to the readers that brings encouragement to the Mining Sector and South Africa as a whole.

South Africa is a resilient country. We have been able to overcome institutional racism and been able to build a diverse multi-cultural democracy. Whilst our social challenges remain, it is my personal belief that a resilient people empowered with appropriate skills and competencies will eventually triumph. I believe that each generation creates its own future while standing on the foundation of the legacy of those who came before them.

MF: Finally, can you tell us a little about Khulile Shoba, your family, hobbies, likes and dislikes, and who has had a major influence in both your personal and professional life.

Khulile Shoba is an independent, determined, and positive thinker. My passion is to give hope to young adults across the African continent. I enjoy spending time sharing a great meal with family and friends. I have recently taken up golf which I am thoroughly enjoying, and I also enjoy travelling, especially across the continent.

My late mother remains my role model and continues to shape my beliefs, both personal and professional, and my kids are my inspiration.

CONTACT DETAILS

Website: www.ctctraining.org

Email: info@ctctraining.co.za

Tell: 013 692 3121

Physical Address:

Cnr. Stevenson & O.R. Tambo Streets

Klipfontein

Emalahleni (Witbank)

Mpumalanga 1039