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ENERGY concern GreenFuel has started offering apprentice courses to young Zimbabweans. The first intake of 34 students, among them five females, started their training programme on October 1. The company’s spokesperson, Nicole Mollet, confirmed the development and said: “The apprentices will undergo a four-year training programme sponsored by Green Fuel (Pvt) Ltd in designated trades. We have five females and 29 males mainly from in and around the local community.
“The apprentices went through a rigorous selection process that included psychometric and mechanical-reasoning testing, that were conducted by an external consultant.
“The 34 selected from 70 applicants who underwent the selection process also went through oral interviews at the company’s three business units, Green Fuel Mill Operations, Green Fuel Agric Services and Rating Investments.
“The business units selected their preferred candidates who were then recommended for recruitment as the first Green Fuel apprentices to the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Manicaland region for registration of contracts.”
The 29 male apprentices will undergo training in Instrumentation and Control Technicians, Power Electrical, Fitter Machines; Boiler Making; Diesel Plant Fitting, Motor Mechanics, Motor Cycle Mechanics and Automobile Electricity, while the five females will undergo training in Boiler Making, Power Electricity and Automobile Electricity.
The apprentices underwent an induction facilitated by the Department of Industrial and Trade Testing in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology.
Among the topics discussed were: Apprentice Code of Conduct in relation to company code of conduct, wages and salaries (this was outlined in the contract they signed), the training, how the ministry expects apprentices to conduct themselves as ambassadors of the company wherever they are and Statutory requirements of each designated trade that is to include tools acquisition by apprentices.
“Green Fuel will have an induction course of the apprentices from October 13 to December.
“The induction training programme will take the apprentices through the basics of their chosen areas.
“They will be deployed to the three business units on rotational basis.
“It is anticipated that the apprentices will attend college in 2015,” said Mollet.
Online Reporter