Train manufacturer Gibela Rail Transport Consortium has selected 22 national diploma and university graduates as interns for 2017.
Gibela – a consortium comprising French engineering firm Alstom and local black economic empowerment entities Ubumbano Rail and New Africa Rail – is under contract to build 600 new commuter trains for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA’s) Metrorail service.
The internship forms part of Gibela’s broader young talent development programme, which is managed through the company’s specialised training centre.
The 22 interns, who were selected on the basis of their entrepreneurial and leadership attributes, will start their internships in February 2017. These will be in the form of a fixed, 12-month contract, designed to give them work and workplace experience in their chosen disciplines.
Each intern will be assigned to an experienced mentor who will give guidance in work-related issues, life coaching, career guidance and future employment opportunities within Gibela or externally.
The interns will receive a monthly stipend.
The initiative forms part of Gibela’s commitment to transformation through its contractual obligations to PRASA – specifically in respect of skills development and job creation, under the broader umbrella of economic development.
“Through this internship programme, we will assist graduates with practical exposure that will set the foundation for their careers and serve as a springboard for their future development,” says Gibela economic development director Dr Buyiswa Mncono-Liwani.
The internships are in addition to the 180 bursaries awarded by Gibela to universities and technical and vocational education and training institution students since 2015.