You ‘d be kidding to think that BAE Systems is in South Africa just to make money and not care about developing its workforce and the indigent in the rainbow nation. As a responsive corporate citizen, it has continued to support education and skills development in South Africa in many ways, including apprenticeships, learnerships, internships and bursaries. These efforts of BAE Systems are already yielding results.
Since 1994 when BAE Systems identified the decline in skilled artisans and addressed this crisis by applying for accreditation from MERSETA to implement apprentices training, nineteen apprentices have qualified through this programme. In 2008, five apprentices, the most in one year, passed the trade test and another six have since started the programme. Currently ten fitting and turning apprentices are in training, three of which are female.
"We are committed to supporting skills development throughout South Africa to ensure positive growth of our high-tech industry. Moreover, we provide opportunities for our own employees to further their careers through part-time studies," said Johan Steyn, Managing Director, BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa.
Vigilance reliably learnt that BAE Systems to date has sponsored seventeen learnership programmes and has been providing experiential training to students at Technikons to assist them in completing their P1 & P2 exams, which is required to complete and obtain a National Diploma. To date BAE Systems has employed four of these students.
The first bursary scheme was developed five years ago and started with a local school Ephes Mamkeli, situated in Benoni, Wattville. There were more than five students taken onto the bursary scheme. Thapelo Masoko currently a Design Engineer at BAE Systems was supported through his school years and post-graduate studies and said "Today I'm an engineering degree holder, pursuing an honours degree in that field and establishing my career as an engineer within one of the best company's in the world."
Ernest Gamane, who was a scholar at Ephes Mamkeli, was the first student accepted onto the bursary scheme and successfully completed his B Eng. Industrial Engineering Degree in 2009.
The career support to Ernest was significant. When he once thought he lost the opportunity to become an engineer, BAE Systems made it possible. It started with sponsoring Ephes Mamkeli for development in maths and science, along with ensuring that the school has the necessary resources to deliver good results. The company gave Ernest a full bursary and provided him the opportunity to apply his knowledge practically by working during vacations. He recently applied for his master's degree at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. According to Ernest, "The business environment at BAE Systems is positive with great opportunities, especially as a graduate you get a solid basis of experience in different fields of the business."
BAE Systems is committed to a total performance culture and provides an environment that challenge employees to be remarkable and obtain their full potential.
