Department of Transport Prague scholarship bearing fruit

29 Jul 2010

With the 2010 final Grade 12 examinations only a few months away, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has called on learners to pursue careers in the Transport sector.

“Transport plays a facilitating role in the global economy and holds a central role in driving the social and economic development of any country. Furthermore, it facilitates economic development and growth as well as social activities through movement, bringing people and goods together. Transport creates valuable links between regions and economic activities, between people and the rest of the world.

“Transportation as a field of learning and a career has a variety of opportunities. It is an area of various choices for entrepreneurs. Whilst everyone experiences mobility in their daily life, it is even more rewarding to have an understanding of the various modes of transport as well as scope and types of professions in the transport field. With the 2010 final Grade 12 examinations only a few months away, we call upon learners to seriously consider careers in the transport sector,” said Minister Ndebele.

Seventeen students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds across South Africa, on a scholarship sponsored by the Department of Transport, were recruited and enrolled to undertake studies in Transport Infrastructure and Engineering, Informatics in Transport, Transport Logistics and Marketing and Transport Management at the University of Pardubice in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

The students, in their first year of transport related studies departed for Czechoslovakia in October and commenced with their studies in November 2008, are currently on vacation for a period of two months from July to September 2010. In 2007, the Department of Transport and the government of the Republic of Czechoslovakia established a close and strategic working academic partnership. This partnership was undertaken as part of the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA) and the Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa) to address and build human capacity with the objective of improving the required skills and expertise within the South African transport sector. Transport infrastructure, engineering, technology and logistics were identified as strategic areas that would contribute towards addressing prevailing industry capacity demands.

As part of their training, a workshop has been arranged for the students to engage with senior managers in the department and government officials to welcome them back as well as afford them an opportunity to raise key issues and challenges that might require the department to pay attention to.

The department has further arranged practical work experience sessions at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) to afford the students the opportunity to link theory and practice as well as benchmark against other transportation systems.

Department of Transport Director-General Mr George Mahlalela will deliver the keynote address during this engagement with South African students undertaking various transport related studies in the Republic of Czechoslovakia. The workshop will be attended by senior officials from national, provincial and municipal government.

During his address, the Director-General will outline the department’s commitment towards educational initiatives and programmes aimed at enhancing the acquisition of skills and expertise necessary in the transport sector.

Details of the workshop are as follows:
Date: Friday, 30 July 2010
Venue: 159 Struben Street, Pretoria (Department of Transport offices, Indaba Boardroom)
Time: 08H30

Members of the media are invited to attend and there will be opportunities to engage and take photos with the students.

Attendance confirmations by 15h00 on Thursday, 29 July 2010 with Sello Tshipi on 073 4986722 or TshipiA@dot.gov.za or Mthunzikazi Mbungwana on 0726451792 or MbungwaM@dot.gov.za