Girls Taught About Construction

The economic empowerment of women is high on the agenda of the South African government. Businesses from large corporates to the SME sector have been urged to provide a platform for this to happen.

My belief is that this must begin to happen at school level. Teaching entrepreneurship is great but it must be linked to educating learners about the various needs of the overall economy. They must be shown which sectors of the economy present the greatest challenges yet also the greatest opportunities.

On BuaNews I came across this article which is very encouraging in this regard. It is wonderful to see government beginning to act on this. Here is the article :

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North West points pupils to careers in construction
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By Lehuma Ntuane

Mafikeng - A construction industry expert has urged high school pupils, especially girls, to pursue careers in construction as the industry is booming and presenting rewarding opportunities.

Addressing a National Construction Week event organized by the North West Department of Public Works, Marianus De Jager said enrollments into the construction industry would also help address the skills shortage faced by the sector around the country.

More than 30 Grade 12 learners from Khayalethu High School, near Rustenburg, were taken to a project site visit to the R200 million Moses Kotane Hospital Wednesday.

"They should take advantage of the opportunities provided by government through bursaries, internships and learnerships. There are a lot of rewarding and attractive career opportunities in this sector," he said.

Mr De Jager said due to government's increased infrastructure spending as part of the Accelerated Skills Growth Initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA), the constructions sector has become one of the key beneficiaries but "there is a shortage of professional personnel."

He said the industry was already experiencing a need for more professionals to take part in major projects such as building stadia for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa and construction projects for the Gautrain.

North West Public Works spokesperson Matshube Mfoloe, said the campaign was aimed at encouraging learners to pursue careers in the construction sector and also present study in the field of construction as an attractive option to potential students.

"We are promoting the sector to young people. This is a way to promote the seemingly 'unattractive and uninspiring' image of the construction sector," he said.

National Construction Week is meant to give learners the opportunity to experience and learn about opportunities available in the sector, "and also to dispel the belief that the industry was the domain for men only."

A 16 year-old pupil Ivy Leshetla said she wanted to study architecture.

"Careers in these fields are very possible and we appreciate the opportunities that the department is providing to create an interest and an awareness about the rewards in the building industry,'' she said.

The department will be holding similar project site visits around the other three districts in the province.

The National Construction Week seeks to showcase the meaning and the value of construction as a powerful institution in the reconstruction and development of the country.- BuaNews

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I would love to see SME's and entrepreneurs beginning to engage with this issue at lot more intentionally. As good as this initiative in the North West is, I believe that we cannot leave it up to government entirely.