In celebration of Youth Day on 16 June, ABB hosted a special event at its Longmeadow, Johannesburg facility for Grade 11 and 12 learners from various high schools in Tembisa and Alexandra townships. The learners were given a tour of the factory and were also addressed by successful graduates employed by ABB, in addition to senior management. Speakers included Momelezi Sifumba, who graduated with a BTech in Electrical Engineering in 2018. He was unable to find employment in his chosen field until a photograph with a ‘Help Me to Find a Job’ sign on LinkedIn in July 2022 caught the attention of ABB senior vice president Graham Abrahams, who interviewed Momelezi and subsequently employed him at ABB.
Momelezi received firsthand training that rotated him through different departments and activities for the best possible practical experience. “There is nothing to stop me from aspiring to fill a team leader or management role. I will also be able to mentor other deserving and unemployed youth,” he says.
Mervin Munsamy, Human Resources Director for ABB, took inspiration from some of our great leaders and said: “Mahatma Gandhi advocated for us to be the change that we would like to see in the world. We should take ownership and commit to lifelong learning and development to make a difference in our lives and the communities in which we live.”
With June designated as Youth Month, graduate Nthabiseng Manana says important attributes for young people to succeed are freedom of choice, an open mind, and the recognition that your current situation is not the only possible outcome. “Shape your own possibilities,” she urges. Graduate Arleta Mukhesi says Youth Month highlights the significant role of quality education in a thriving society. “It gives us an opportunity to reflect on our education system and whether it is meeting the future needs of our youth. We must come up with creative ways to improve the future for our youth and our country,” she adds. “Nothing comes on a silver platter, you need to work your way to the top by being innovative and building a network.”
According to another graduate, Tebogo Seemela, Youth Month is a celebration of young people and their contribution to development. “It is also an opportunity for the youth to realise their power to drive change in the country. Young people are our future leaders and therefore must drive change. We need to be united in working towards the same goal; there is nothing that we cannot achieve together,” concludes Seemela.
Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.
Read more...Schneider Electric launches first Innovation Hub in Africa Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric has officially launched its first Innovation Hub in Africa. This provides an interactive environment where visitors can explore the company’s integrated solutions across key segments and businesses such as energy, buildings, data centres, industrial, and power and grid.
Read more...Transforming pulp and paper with automation and digitalisation ABB South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
The pulp and paper industry in South Africa is undergoing a significant transformation from traditional manual processes to embracing automation technologies. Automation in pulp and paper mills aims to improve various production stages, from raw material preparation to final product creation.
Read more...A strategic milestone for Conical Technologies Conical Technologies
News
Conical Technologies has been appointed as the sole distributor in southern Africa for Mibbo, manufacturers of a vast array of products for the automation industry.
Read more...Robotics TechTalk at UKZN
News
The Scientific Multidisciplinary Advanced Research Technology Lab at the University of KwaZulu-Natal recently held an exciting TechTalk. It was an opportunity to introduce students to the IEEE Robotics and Automation chapter, SAIMC, and the Robotics Association of South Africa.
Read more...Schneider Electric honoured with Gender Leader Award Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric has been awarded the Gender Leader Award at this year’s Africa CEO Forum. This award acknowledges those organisations operating in Africa that have shown a significant and continuous commitment to gender diversity and inclusion.
Read more...Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025 closes on a high note
News
The Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025 officially wrapped up after three dynamic days at Gallagher Convention Centre, cementing its status as Africa’s leading platform for industrial automation, AI and IoT.
Read more...A new generation of solar professionals
News
A new generation of solar professionals is rising in Cape Town. The second cohort of the Solar Youth Project has just completed an intensive eight-week training course and is ready to take on the next stage, 10 months of work experience.
printer friendly version