African Fusion November 2018

Welding and cutting

Technical apprenticeships for a sustainable future

T he thyssenkrupp Technical Ap- prenticeship Programmes are suc- cessfully developing people to secure a sustainable future, not only for the company, but also for southern African industry and the regions in which thys- senkrupp operates. “We are very happy to contribute to the development of skills in South Africa with this programme and are proud to see the fantastic results our apprentices have achieved,“ says Philipp Nellessen, CEO of thyssenkrupp Industrial Solu- tions sub-Sahara Africa. “Upliftment through skills develop- ment and job creation are the beacons that inspired our decision to embark on this Technical Apprenticeship Pro- gramme initiative in 2010,” says Chris Bouwer, technical training manager at thyssenkrupp Service Centre. The fully accredited programme is in line with merSETA’s National Skills Development Strategy. Furthermore, the programme is first-world aligned, drawing from thyssenkrupp’s German parent’s experience. The Commercial ApprenticeTrainingSchemeProgramme run inpartnershipwith the SouthAfrican German Chamber is also aligned with South African and European standards. The candidates within this programme are awarded a South African and a Euro- pean certificate upon completion.

round of the game, users must answer 10 questions with scores shown in order of ranking – and an international high score ranking allows users to compare themselves with all app users worldwide. Virtual welding on Smartphones or Tablets For those who prefer to learn through practice rather than theory, experience can be gained by using the virtual weld- ing game app. The touchscreen becomes a workpiece and your finger becomes a welding torch. There are different levels to the game – the higher the level, the more difficult thewelding task. Users can performmelt runs or fillet andbutt welds, for example. The virtual trainer supports the player “Strict pre-employment screening, which includes a Dover battery test to determine technical aptitude, is there- fore a prerequisite for eligibility,” notes Bouwer. The top fifteen candidates who are picked from pre-employment screening are put through a rigorous six weeks hands-on training programme. This involves a three week basic hand and power tools course that involves both theoretical and practical applica- tions, followed by a further three weeks in the workshop. From this group the most suitable top eight candidates are selected to participate in the formal Technical Apprenticeship Programme. Bouwer reports that the programme has deliveredmanypositive results. Jack LedwabaandHannesPretoriuswhoqual- ified in 2010 and 2011, respectively, as well Hendrik Nthloiseng, who attended the Colliery Training Centre (CTC), have had amajor impact in the Service Centre workshop, bearing testament to the suc- cessoftheprogramme.Bouweraddsthat theirworkethicandconduct areverywell developed and they are some of the best artisans in their current environment. Of the seven qualified apprentices in 2015, three have been employed per- manently at the Service Centre. One of the third year (2015 Sept intake) female Fitter apprentices, Promise Ntuli was nominated as the best Fitter apprentice in her group at CTC in Witbank. and Science or a minimumN3 qualifica- tion with Maths and Science.

Also, two of the first year (2016 Sept intake) apprentice artisans received re- wards: Elijah Ntsienne received the best turner apprentice award and Cynthia Makofanewas the best Fitter apprentice in her group from CTC. “By upskilling people, these pro- grammes provide more than a job and an income, they provide the artisans with a career and a sustainable future,” concludes Bouwer. www.thyssenkrupp-industrial-solutions.co.za A boilermaking apprentice at work in the thyssenkrupp Service Centre, which has a fully equipped fabrication workshop.

Eligible male and female candidates for the programme must be 18 years of agewithanentry-levelmatricwithMaths The Pocket Welding Trainer A new app has been launched by Fronius to support virtual learning

about welding process information. The app has a game function that enables users to experience welding interactively and features a quiz that conveys useful information on the joining process. The new Welducation Basic App from Fronius offers a fun way for welders to build up their know-how. Welducation Basic makes the demanding task of memorising theoretical content a thing of the past. The app for smartphones and tablets conveys information on welding through play: in the quiz, users choose their answer from four options and are told immediately whether they were correct or not. This is a fun way to learn the theoretical principles. To complete a

by showing themthe ideal welding speed and position using colour signals. The aim is to score asmany points as possible through consistent and accurately weld- ed seams. Users can also save their points from the game in the online rankings. Welducation and game apps are avail- able free for Android and iOS devices. www.fronius.com With the Welducation Basic App’s quiz, users pick up basic welding knowledge through play.

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November 2018

AFRICAN FUSION