By Lwazi Shwala
At the end of March, I had the chance to be part of the Umphakathi Holiday Training programme. It’s an initiative that offers learners from technical high schools diverse and practical workplace experience and skills development opportunities.
Initially, when our teacher said we’d be going to Umphakathi for the holidays, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. What I did know, from peers who’d previously been on the programme, was that we would learn by doing.
On day one, we arrived at the facility in Bez Valley with over 100 kids from 8 different high schools. Some specialised in civils & construction, others in electrical, plumbing, carpentry, and even hospitality. We were divided into our specialisations, assigned to our trainers, and given our work for the day. The electrical kids had lights to install, the construction kids a driveway to pave, and us hospitality kids were to prepare food for them all! There wasn’t any building and breaking, or workbook exercises – it was hands-on work experience.
The Umphakathi facility is a continuous construction site, intentionally kept that way so that we always have something to contribute, and in doing so, can gain practical skills. I’d climb a flight of stairs to the cafeteria, and learners would tell me that they’d welded them 6 months ago. I’d walk past a half-constructed wall with blocks signed by my matric seniors a year earlier. Other spaces at the facility are complete, like the hair salon. And now a lady from the neighbourhood runs her business there. That business feeds into the programme as well – amongst the different rotations we’d experience, we could learn skills in beauty as well.
That was the pattern of my first week ever at Umphakathi. One day I’d learn everything about food-prep for 100 mouths. The next would be pizza-making, or gelato-making, or barista skills.
We even had industry experts walk us through tips and tricks for a successful career in hospitality.
The highlight of it all was the showcase at the end of the week. Guests attended, toured the facility, and viewed the work done throughout the week by us all, while we served them all the foods we learned to make.
It was on the last day that everything came together for me. After matric, I could go to hospitality school and become a chef. But I could also open my own pizza shop back home and hire some of my friends. Or I could have a specialised gelato stand in the city. Or, while I think it through, I could make some pocket money doing hair and nails during the holidays.
At times it’s scary being a young person in South Africa thinking about the future. But my week at Umphakathi helped me breathe. As long as I can use my hands, my future is in them.
The post My week at Umphakathi – By Lwazi Shwala appeared first on The Home Of Great South African News.
At the end of March, I had the chance to be part of the Umphakathi Holiday Training programme.
The post My week at Umphakathi – By Lwazi Shwala appeared first on The Home Of Great South African News. Read More
