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8
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JUNE
2016
CONCRETE
CONVERSATION
PIECES
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MARKETPLACE
Susan Battison, the Institute's
Information Specialist, says the
motive behind the ‘First Impressions’
competition was to showcase how easy it is
to work with concrete, and also to show the
material's renowned versatility.
“At the same time, our fun competition's
education element was in line with the
Library and Information Association of SA
(LIASA) ‘#libraries4lifelonglearning’ theme
for 2016, and endorsed the LIASA viewpoint
that libraries have a major role to play in the
development of a knowledgeable nation,”
Battison explained.
John Roxburgh, lecturer at TCI School
of Concrete Technology, provided the
staff with expert guidelines on creating the
conversation pieces, entitled 'First Impres-
sions', which now have pride of place at their
workstations in the TCI offices in Midrand.
Guest judge for the competition was
Michelle Fick, Chryso South Africa's exec-
utive relationship and projects manager.
Three prizes were awarded, plus another
for the entry with the best title.
Ocon Brick employees enrolled for
courses such as writing skills, numeracy
and communication skills and recently
these employees were awarded Certificates
of Completion for their different course levels
ranging from Level One right through to Level
Four at an awards ceremony held in March 2016.
Ocon Brick human resource manager, Ben
Mpele said “We are pleased to see that, with
support fromOcon Brick , some of the Level Four
certified employees will be moving on to study
‘Business Practices’.
INVESTING IN ITS STAFF
Providing the opportunity
for skills development and
upliftment is an important
contribution by any employer
to its employees. Ocon Brick,
through its collaboration
with the Triple E educational
institution, has been providing
its staff with the opportunity
to acquire new skills through
selected Adult Basic Education
Training (ABET) courses.
“This a major step forward for these candidates
should they choose to run their own business in
the future. We have admired their commitment
to their studies while still performing their duties
in the workplace.
“It is important for our employees to know
that we fully support their development irre-
spective of what it is that they decide to study
and that it is in this way that longer lasting rela-
tionships are formed between organisations and
their employees.”
Ocon Brick is committed to making sure that
each employee receives the support they require
as they move on to their higher levels of study.
While this course was attended by an all women
teamof employees, the courses are open to both
men and women employees.
ABET is a unique South African programme
that offers basic adult education through
flexible, developmental and targeted learning
programmes aimed at fulfilling the learning
needs in the country and provides nationally
recognised certificates upon course completion
Ocon Brick, one of South Africa’s largest
manufacturers of clay stock bricks, is part of
the IS Group of companies which includes
Technicrete and Rocla, and received their
seventh PMR Gold Arrow Award in 2015 for
excellence for its contribution and service to the
construction industry.
Ocon Brick employees receiving their Certificates of Completion.
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Participating in national
Libra
ry Week, The Concrete
Institute (TCI) Information
Centre invited staff to enter
a special competition to see
who could create the most
innovative small concrete
‘conversation pieces’ for
their desks.
The four prize winners in The Concrete
Institute Information Centre's Library
Week competiton for staff members,
pose with their conversation pieces and
the guest judge for the occasion, Michelle
Fick, of Chryso SA (at the back). From
left: Susan Battison (whose entry, Key
Conversation, won the ‘Best Title’ prize);
Phumeza Ngugudo (Rock of the Past),
Maggie Kgatla (African Perspective) and
Kizzy Shipalana (Harmony).
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and the private sector have made into infra-
structure development in our country since the
advent of democracy in 1994.
SACPCMP will this year hold massive Road-
shows in all accredited institutions in raising
awareness to students and industry partici-
pants on the importance of registering with the
SACPCMP Student Chapter Catergory.
The Student Chapter is a category meant
for students enrolled full/part time in an under-
graduate and/or post graduate with a major in
Building Science or Construction Management.
This initiative mainly serves as a valuable link
between the students, registered persons as
well as companies in the built environment for
purposes of mentorship and their professional
development; thereby creating opportunities
for vacation work, job shadowing, internships
and mentoring.
“SACPCMP will be steadfast in creating link-
ages, network and relationships between the
industry and students in the Built Environment
disciplines,” says Nomvula Rakolote, SACPCMP
registrar. SACPCMP would also want to assist
learners in Grades 10, 11 and 12 to choose these
professions in the not so distant future. The
Student Chapter has been positioned in such a
manner that the secondary school students also
benefit from it.
This is through getting guidance on which
units to consider at the university level in order
to be profesionals in the Construction industry.