The Colliery Training College (CTC), is a training center for artisan and mining skills in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga. CTC has been part of the coal mining industry since 1964 and is supported and owned by the prominent mining houses in the area namely Anglo-American Thermal Coal, Seriti, Exxaro, Glencore, Izimbiwa Coal, Kanga Coal, and South32. These mining houses allow CTC to offer their training to other employers from any sector and industry, making it the preferred training college in the region.
What is on offer?
CTC prides itself on that they train artisans and miners for the future. Artisans are trained in traditional trades like fitters and turners, electricians, diesel mechanics, miners, blasters, and mineral process beneficiation. The emphasis is on training artisans for the future and CTC registered their trademark Artisan 4.0TM in 2019. They believe that artisans and individuals working in the mining sector need to be upskilled and trained with the Fourth Industrial Revolution in mind. CTC is at the forefront of ensuring that artisans are trained now, are ready for Industry 4.0.
CTC provides “off job” skills training totaling six months after which the “on the job” training is obtained with the employers where practical tasks are performed under supervision. This is a critical part of the learning process because this is where occupational knowledge and practical training are applied in the workplace. Students are exposed to real-life scenarios such as work ethic, safety responsibilities, and industry performance standards. This is where the students get experience in what it is to be an artisan in their field.
Research and development are undertaken continuously to ensure that only applicable and up to date training material and learning aids are being used. CTC is in the process of upgrading its facility to ensure that all artisans and mining students receive the best training possible. This new equipment will also be used in the new course that will be rolled out in 2020, the Artisan 4.0TM course. In reply to the exacting safety requirements of clients and to ensure only the best safety outcomes for their students, CTC was recently assessed and found to conform to the OHSAS 18001 standard. Before any task is attempted during training, students are taught to do a proper risk assessment as if they were attempting a real-life task at an employer.
CTC was recognized by the National Skills Authority as the best provider of artisan training in South Africa. Since then CTC has been building on its success.
CTC follows a modular approach to training with competency-based assessments for which students retain credit. All of their training is geared to meet workplace demands. The workshops and training rooms are staffed with highly skilled training officers in their respective fields and areas of expertise.
CTC is accredited by the Mining Qualifications Authority and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations. A memorandum of understanding exists between CTC and the relevant SETA’s
Additional training courses are also available. Anyone who wishes to improve their skills can also choose between all modules/ unit standards available to suit their companies’ or their own needs
Article Published May 8, 2020, in Engineering News
