Learnership schemes play a key role

In its training and
development strategy, SACD
Freight has made a big
commitment to in-house
schemes, according to MD
Graham Peinke.
It has introduced successful
learnership schemes in
co-operation with the
the supervising body, the
Transport Education and
Training Authority (Teta).
A policy in the company is
to encourage all employees to
obtain formal qualifications
in the field in which they are
directly involved on a daily
basis.
“The learnership schemes
provide the theoretical
knowledge and practical
skills required to support this
objective,” said Peinke.
But its training
requirements also mean that
the company has to look
beyond its own doors.
“We involve accredited
training providers to transfer
some of the skills that are
required for the freight
industry to our employees,”
added Peinke. “The School
of Shipping – an institution
which focuses on the various
functions that our company
offers – also provides various
short courses which are
suitable for current and new
employees.”
The company has just
started to focus on what
it terms its Succession
Planning Programme. “This
is aimed at the growth and
development of skilled
workers,” Peinke told
FTW, “and also serves the
purpose of recognising those
employees who have the
potential to be promoted into
those types of positions.”
But SACD has found that
there are still gaps in the
available spectrum of training.
“A reason for concern,”
Peinke said, “is a lack of
suitable training programmes
to train future artisans needed
in the industry – diesel
mechanics, for example.”