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Mining firm works to fill skills shortage

ACHIEVERS: Some of the graduates from Foskor who received certificates after completing the company's supervisory development programme. © Sowetan.
ACHIEVERS: Some of the graduates from Foskor who received certificates after completing the company's supervisory development programme. © Sowetan.

Alex Matlala

Alex Matlala

The shortage of skills is becoming a serious problem in all relevant industries in South Africa.

Both the public and private sectors are looking at employing and training people with the skills necessary to meet the challenge of filling posts.

Foskor, a mining company in Limpopo, is one firm engaged in this process. It was at this Phalaborwa-based firm that 40 employees graduated with scarce mining skills in an endeavour to curb the shortage in their industry.

Politicians, high-profile business people, including several mining magnates, attended a function at the Phalaborwa's Phosphate Hall yesterday where 40 students graduated.

The graduates had undergone a course in supervisory development for 18 months under the auspices of the Durban Institute of Technology's Polokwane Campus.

Addressing the graduates, during the function, president and the chief executive of Foskor, Alfred Pitse, said: "It is the duty of Foskor to develop life-long learning of its employees as education does not end in the classroom. We also felt as Foskor that provision of skills in the mining industry was needed for production."

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