The Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority (EWSETA) sponsored a Learning Journey, a field trip to the Atlantis Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) for 20 high achieving grade 11 maths and science learners from five schools in the province on Friday 3 February.
The trip, organised in partnership with Future Me, allowed learners to explore careers in the energy and water sector, Christelle Solomons of ASEZCo explained.
The focus was largely on critical careers in the renewable energy and water sector, and key speakers introduced learners attending to the opportunities that await in these areas.
Key speakers included EWSETA CEO Mpho Mookapele, Atlantis SEZ Community Integration Officer Michael Webster, and BE AfriBusiness Founder and CEO Bradley Chetty.
The EWSETA Learning Journey is about showcasing where critical careers in energy and water can have impact, and to encourage learners to pursue careers in these fields, Solomons said.
With the country facing a deepening water and energy crisis, these careers play a key role in the growth of the economy.
“The climate situation is getting increasingly worse,” she pointed out, “and the development of green jobs and green skills are now widely considered essential to the sustainability of our environment as well as for the development of the economy.
“Emerging green industries and retrofitting existing skills have a positive impact on employment and the growth of the economy.”
The Learning Journey kicked off at the Atlantis SEZ offices, with all the speakers addressing the importance of energy and water careers, making special mention of how young people can make a difference in the future of the sector.
The learners then followed the Atlantis SEZ team to the Everflo premises to see how the company manufactures its world-class industrial refrigeration while minimising their environmental impact.
The day ended at the Witzands Aquifer with a talk on the importance of protecting water resources and the role the aquifer plays in providing communities with clean water.
Rounding off the day, EWSETA offered bursaries for degree study linked to water and energy to learners, on the understanding that the day’s activities will have inspired a wish to pursue a critical career in the sector.
The Learning Journey is the last event that will be delivered as part of the 2022 World of Work partnership between EWSETA and Future Me.
This included participation in the Career Festival, held on 15 September 2022, and a poster competition where the first prizewinner was awarded R3 500 and their school, Bridgetown High School in Cape Town received R15 000.
