The combined efforts of the South African government, construction specialists and building materials companies to develop skills in the construction industry by investing in educational initiatives can facilitate economic growth in the country, states building materials company Lafarge South Africa.

“South Africa needs skills in the form of engineers and artisans and the study of mathematics and science at school level remains a top priority in the construction industry,” says Lafarge South Africa CEO Thierry Legrand.

The Construction Education and Training Authority (Ceta) was established in April 2000, after the promulgation of the Skills Development Act No 97 of 1998. Its primary objective is to influence the course of training and skills development in construction by ensuring that all training reflects the requirements of the sector.

Ceta initiates skills projects and learnerships aimed at improving and developing South Africa’s human resources, including a construction workforce whose skills are recognised and valued in terms of the National Qualifications Framework.

To positively assist the development of skills, Lafarge established the Lafarge Africa Training Centre at its cement plant in Lichtenburg, in the North West. The centre provides artisan training that leads to nationally recognised qualifications and is a stepping stone for the individual’s further advancement, says the company.

“Courses are available for employees from Lafarge companies, other compa- nies and young men and women from the local community. Lafarge is also a member of the Concrete Institute, which has a strong focus on education in the construction industry.

“The Lafarge Education and Community Trusts were also established as part of a broad-based black economic-empowerment deal and these trusts have made real differences to the communities that serve our plants,” Legrand highlights.

Meanwhile, he says, the cement industry in South Africa will face challenging times, as short-term prospects for growth in the country’s economy remain subdued and major infrastructure projects are slow in coming to fruition. Nevertheless, Lafarge believes that there will be a critical need for its 3.6-million tons of cement capacity a year when the infrastructure programme is in full swing.

“To compensate for the impact of high input costs, the company has concentrated on cost-reduction opportunities in the construction industry,” explains Legrand.

He adds that Lafarge will continue to offer high-quality products and services to the industry and increase its current cement prices to align them with input costs.

Lafarge notes that its aim in the construction industry is to help build more houses and better cities that are more durable, connected and compact. To accomplish this, Legrand says, the company works closely with architects, specifiers, contractors and all stakeholders in the construction chain. “Since 2010, the Lafarge group has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, the first global sustainability benchmark, in recognition of its sustainable development actions,” he adds.

In South Africa, Lafarge manufactures and supplies cement, aggregates, ready-mix concrete, gypsum plasterboard and interior building fittings. It focuses on providing solutions to help in the sustainable development of better cities that benefit the country’s people. Through a strong presence in all of its business lines, it is in a unique position to contribute to urban construction, while also helping to build better rural towns and villages.