The unemployed youth of the Chris Hani District Municipality will be receiving training on various building skills in a bid to improve their employability and participation in the construction industry.

The NHBRC will be providing training to 50 young people from Komani and 30 young women from Cala in the home building disciplines through Ikhala TVET College.

The training programme is designed to equip young people with technical skills needed at key various stages of construction such as plumbing, roofing, plastering and bricklaying. The training was requested by Chris Hani District Municipality in an effort to empower rural youth with technical skills in the home building industry.

“As unemployment continues to affect millions of young people, with young entrepreneurs struggling to sustain and expand their businesses due to the lack of necessary skills especially in the construction industry and businesses struggling to find qualified employees. The global community has become increasingly attuned to the need to prepare young people for the world of work as well as the world of entrepreneurship,” said the Director of Humans Settlements in the Chris Hani District Municipality Dr Zamuxolo Shasha.

One of the beneficiaries, Phakamani Matiwane (30) from Ezibeleni in Komani said that he was excited about the training as he was already doing part-time work in construction.

“I am excited and happy about the training, because I have been doing part-time work like plastering and brick laying around my township, so I am excited I will learn more about what I love.”

Phakamani also mentioned some of his expectations on the training.

“I would like to get training on site as well so that I can get practical training. I think that the government should also intervene in terms of stipends because some of us have families that we are supporting so the stipends would help support our families”.