Capital Equipment News June 2018

view to skills development. While it is one of the first companies to raise its hand in support of the president’s initiative, the truck maker has already walked down this road for many years, having invested huge capital towards its own in-house skills development initiatives. represented by Volvo Trucks, Volvo Bus, Volvo Financial Services, Volvo Penta, as well as Volvo Financial Services and UD Trucks. The group employs about 1 000 people across the region, including at its assembly plants in Durban (Volvo Trucks), as well as in Rosslyn (UD Trucks). Since 2015, Volvo Group Southern Africa has invested more than R86-million on apprenticeship training, automotive industry learnerships, disabled persons learnerships, as well as internships. The company is planning to plough another R25-million during 2018. “During the course of the year, we will also establish a specialised Driver Training Academy to address the shortage of skilled drivers in the region, at an investment of R1,4 million,” says Torbjörn Christensson, president of Volvo Group Southern Africa. Christensson says the company will continue its involvement in Star for Life, a non-profit organisation that aims to provide young people in southern Africa with essential life skills, sport training and health education. “Just in three years from 2017 to 2019, we are planning to invest around R7,8-million in this very worthy cause,” says Christensson. “Star for Life is an exemplary project that creates new opportunities for young people in South Africa to complete an education and to create good lives for themselves. In the process, opportunities arise for some of the qualified youth that completed their training through Star for Life to be employed by Volvo,” adds Christensson. During his visit, President Ramaphosa thanked Volvo for its continued investment in the South African economy and its commitment to the empowerment and development of the country’s youth. “Volvo is one of the companies that understands that it’s not enough to invest in factories, machinery and supply chains. They believe that it is also necessary to invest in society,” he said. “It is rooted in an understanding that business is not separate from society, but inextricably bound to the fortunes of its people. As young people gain skills and work experience, businesses thrive.” Christensson says skills development and the advancement and upliftment of the youth are matters very close to the Huge commitments In southern Africa, Volvo Group is

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R86 million invested

2015

2018

Since 2015, Volvo Group Southern Africa has invested more than R86 million on apprenticeship training, automotive industry learnerships, disabled persons learnerships, as well as internships

During the course of the year, Volvo Group Southern Africa will establish a specialised Driver Training Academy to address the shortage of skilled drivers in the region, at an investment of R1,4 million

Volvo to invest R7,8 million

2017

2019

Just in three years from 2017 to 2019, Volvo is planning to invest around R7,8 million into Star for Life

Youth Employment Service, the first social compacts between government, business and labour, was created to give one million youth job opportunities to succeed, which in turn will secure South Africa’s economic prosperity

“Volvo is one of the companies that understands that it’s not enough to invest in factories, machinery and supply chains. They believe that it is also necessary to invest in society.”

Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa

“As Volvo Group Southern Africa, we are proud to say that we have been able to actively engage with local communities to implement numerous initiatives where community needs are met by our unique assets and expertise, to maximise the value created for society as a whole.”

Torbjörn Christensson, president of the Volvo Group Southern Africa

TALKING POINTS

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS JUNE 2018 21