At a function at the Schneider Electric Midrand Campus on 3 March 2016, Schneider Electric signed partnership agreements with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, College of Cape Town, University of Johannesburg and Sedibeng College for the establishment of four additional training centres. This comes at the back of the success of the earlier collaboration between Schneider Electric and the French Education Ministry, which was piloted through the Vaal University of Technology.
Representing the French Ministry of Education and Training, Marianne de Brunhoff; Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mduduzi Manana; French Ambassador HE, Elisabeth Barbier; Joe Madungandaba, non-executive chairperson for Schneider Electric South Africa and Schneider Electric Country President - Southern Africa, Eric Leger.
Eric Leger, the country president of Schneider Electric Southern Africa, said that these agreements formed part of the company’s vision to accelerate vocational training in the field of energy across the country for previously disadvantaged students. State-of-the-art Schneider Electric equipment will be deployed at the centres to enable the skills facilitation and exposure essential to the energy industry. Through intensive vocational training, junior and senior technicians in the relevant disciplines will be taught innovative technologies and internationally recognised competitive learning programmes.
These centres are being conceptualised around a four party agreement involving the Schneider Electric Foundation, the French Ministry of Education, Schneider Electric South Africa and the higher learning institutions mentioned earlier.
“We identified the need to have more students trained in the field of energy in line with our sustainable development strategy, and we are pleased to sign these new partnership agreements,” said Leger.
As part of the new partnerships, the parties have agreed to set up training centres, called French South African Schneider Electric Education Centre (FSASEC), whose primary focus is the training of future artisans, electricians and technicians in the field of energy. It is anticipated that the doors to the new training centres will open during the second quarter of 2016, hosted at the respective institutions.
“All parties have entered into the agreements on the basis of their common interest- to promote education and to create development opportunities that offer training to deserving individuals from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.
These partnerships could not have succeeded without the support of the French Embassy in South Africa, as well as Schneider Electric Foundation’s relationship with The French Ministry of Education.
The South African Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Mduduzi Manana, the French Ambassador to South Africa, Her Excellency Elizabeth Barbier, and Marianne de Brunhoff from the French Ministry of Education, Philippe Lagayette from the Schneider Electric Foundation, Thierry Ruard from Schneider Electric France and representatives from the Business French Trade Commission were among the guests who observed the signing ceremony.
Enquiries: Isabel Mwale. Isabel.mwale@schneider-electric.co.za
