A group of students from the NCFET College in Kimberley recently spent a week on site at Droogfontein Solar Power to gain practical work experience and to put elements of their current syllabus into practice in a real work environment.
Whilst on site, the nine students had the opportunity to assist Siemens electrical subcontractor GVJ with DC and AC cabling in the solar field, an important practical requirement of their current training module and a critical component to qualify for an electrician apprenticeship. “It is a fundamental part of our students’ curriculum and even more important is the opportunity to gain experience on a real site,” said Johan Smit, lecturer at the Electrical Skills Department.
Over the course of the week GVJ gave the students valuable on-the-job training with electrical work and were pleased with their level of understanding and assistance on site. In addition to electrical training, the students also gained some background information on the PV plant construction process.
Imparting skills and knowledge is important to this Independent Power Producer, Droogfontein Solar Power, especially as it is such a new industry in South Africa. “Assisting with practical experience is an extension of our commitment to positively impact local communities through training,” said Kevin Foster, Project Manager for Droogfontein Solar Power. He added “We are very happy to have contributed to the practical training of these students and are appreciative of their interest in solar energy”.
The students were very grateful for the practical experience and have already expressed interest in working on a similar project in the future.
