Local industry has saved R6-million in resources, including 133 000 kℓ of water, after 16 manufacturing facilities nationwide implemented the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) internship programme, funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), to conduct on-site resource efficiency assessments over a 12-month period.

Water savings accounted for 48% of the facilities’ overall savings, with energy savings accounting for 43%.

The only learning programme of its kinds on the continent, the RECP skills development programme saw these manufacturing facilities appoint science and engineering graduates as interns for 12 months in late 2015. The facilities were equipped with RECP skills through the National Cleaner Production Centre of South Africa (NCPC-SA) training programme in early 2016, then placed in host plants under the guidance of expert mentors appointed by the NCPC-SA.

The interns were taught ISO 50001 energy management plans, how to conduct an RECP assessment, and how to identify water-saving opportunities – all while working full-time at the host plant.

“The programme is designed to not only teach interns the skills to conduct a plant assessment and identify savings opportunities at their host plants, but also to assist the company with implementation to realise actual resource and financial savings,” said NCPC-SA skills development manager Wynand van der Merwe.

NCPC-SA director Ndivhuho Raphulu added that the graduates were embarking on a fairly new career path, but one that had already proven invaluable to South African industry. “We’ve seen again and again that resource management cuts millions in operating costs, making South African factories more productive and, ultimately, more competitive.”

The interns graduated from the RECP internship programme on December 5. Three graduates have been offered permanent positions within the programme while another has been employed by a host company.

The 2017 NCPC-SA internship programme will kick off early in the new year; interns have already been recruited countrywide.