Construction World September 2018

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT high on the agenda CoreSlab continues to invest heavily in skills development and training to ensure the future sustainability of the South African precast concrete sector and larger construction industry.

to kick-start my dream career. This proved to be one of the most informed decisions I have ever made and I have since never looked back,” Mogale says. Over the past nine years, Mogale has been involved in most aspects of the precast-concrete value chain, including serving a number of important years right in the heart of the operation, namely the factory. This is where most of the jobs are created in the precast-concrete value chain, supporting government’s drive to use the roll-out of critical infrastructure to create many employment opportunities. This is in addition to developing the future skills and capabilities of South Africans to grow the economy. These permanent construction employees also work in a controlled setting and at ground level when manufacturing the various high-quality precast concrete elements that make up CoreSlab’s many systems. Mogale would go on to thrive in this environment and, in a very short period of time, he was promoted to oversee the extrusion lines and then to assist in shouldering the immense responsibility of inspecting the quality of the precast-concrete elements before they are dispatched to CoreSlab’s many construction sites. His stellar work serving in these and other roles, including as a highly proficient mobile crane operator on the company’s many fast-paced construction sites, paved the way forward for further career advancement. However, he concurs that a significant stepping stone in his career was accepting a promotion as an assistant surveyor, which would provide even more scope for learning and, importantly, the chance to assume additional responsibility. “I learnt so much in those three years,” Mogale exclaims. “Importantly, they afforded me enough time in which to build up the confidence I would later need to exercise my duties as a project manager for the company. This is considering that there is simply no room for error in surveying, and this would prepare me for my current role. As a project manager, I sell and supervise the high quality construction of our precast concrete systems.” Meanwhile, CoreSlab continues to support its many training and development initiatives with a robust succession strategy. For example, many University of Venda built-environment students, including those studying civil engineering, were afforded the opportunity

B oth the company’s sophisticated factory in Polokwane, Limpopo, as well as many construction sites have become fertile training grounds for talented young built environment professionals who want to hone their competencies and gain a solid foothold in the civil construction and building industries. A case in point is the successful career of Clifford Mogale, who through his own sheer hard work and determination, has rapidly risen up the ranks to the point where he is now directly involved in managing many of the company’s key projects. Mogale remains passionate about construction and, even more so, the precast-concrete sector which, he says, has afforded him ample opportunity to gain a vast range of experience and knowledge. He first decided to exchange a suit and tie for a hard hat, safety vest and a pair of work boots in 2008 when he applied for a position at the then fledgling CoreSlab after completing his schooling. “I was intrigued by this company that had just opened its doors in Polokwane. People told me that it was already very involved in a wide variety of construction projects. Interested in this industry from a very young age, I decided to apply for any available position TAL, a division of Norcros SA, has manufactured and supplied innovative tile installation materials to the South African market for over 40 years. The TAL laboratory is the first in Africa to gain ISO 17025 accreditation for 1348:2007 testing (tensile strength of cementitious tile adhesives). Whilst similar to the ISO 9001 standard, ISO 17025 also speaks to technical competence. TAL Technical Executive, Obert Rukato explains that tests under 1348:2007 determine the strength of the adhesive bond between tile and substrate. This includes evaluation of the adhesive under test conditions, as a control measure, and under simulated real-life environments such as water immersion and heat aging over a 28-day period. Positive results confirm for the end-user that the claimed performance of the tile adhesive is accurate, and that the product will deliver the expected result on site. “This accreditation is considered the single most important standard for calibration and testing laboratories globally, so we are very proud of this achievement. It confirms that our facility produces internationally recognised results,” clarifies Rukato. The accreditation is recognised by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and South African National Accreditation System (SANAS). According to Rukato, the accreditation further confirms the company’s decades’ long commitment to quality products, manufactured to the highest standards, at every level.  Tiling installation and construction product manufacturer TAL has proven its technical competence after their laboratory was recognised as an ISO 17025 accredited testing facility in May 2018. Laboratory awarded ISO17025 accreditation

to work alongside seasoned project managers, Gerhard Foord and Anthony Motau, on a six- storey hotel build in Sibasa. Foord, who was the manager of this project, says he

remains impressed by the enthusiasm that the students displayed while working alongside members of his own team. 

Clifford Mogale, Project Manager at Corestruc.

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD SEPTEMBER 2018