During the Southern African Energy Efficiency Confederation (SAEEC) Annual Energy Awards and the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) Certification Ceremony the pilot group of students that successfully completed the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Practitioner Skills Programme were recognised for their achievements.

The students all impressed at the black-tie event held in the evening on Tuesday, 14 March 2023 at the Ebotse Golf and Country Estate with the Guest of Honour Dr. Zwanani Titus Mathe, CEO of the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), spoke on the importance of energy saving and highlighted some critical issues that South Africa faces – this was presented with sincerity and a wonderful sense of humour. Some seriousness was added when Dr. Mathe addressed the role of youth development and job creation in the Just Transition, and the need to actively see the changes through programmes such as this skills programme to the just transition with successful outcomes.

The evening kicked off with the Certification Ceremony where students were honoured with their Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) EPC Practitioner Certificates for their successes during their completion of the pilot Skills Programme launched on 31 January 2022 – Skills Programmes are to create a labour force that can meet industry requirements, which this one does for the EPC for buildings Regulation making it law for buildings to be energy efficient now.

The EPC Practitioner Skills Programme is a demand-oriented, dual-structured short course for Energy Performance Certificates for Buildings, to qualify young electricians for income-generating employment. This is a pilot programme of SANEDI in partnership with the Institute of Energy Professionals Africa NPC (IEPA). The programme is supported by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Career Path Development for Employment (CPD4E) project, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in cooperation with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

The EPC Practitioner Skills Programme consists of online training, an in-person practical sessions to prepare for the workplace assignment, with a work experience component where an EPC process was followed to get a building EPC ready with support from their mentors.

Mrs. Yolanda De Lange – Founding Director of IEPA And AEE Regional Vice President Sub-Saharan Africa, was proud to announce the awards, which was presented by Mr. Teslim Yusuf, Acting General Manager Energy Efficiency and trophies for top achievers handed out by Dr Mathe, both from SANEDI.

The following students successfully completed their QCTO Qualification towards their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Practitioner:

• Moses Chichonye, CBRE Excellerate
• Mmaphuti Allicia Dinyake, IEPA
• Tutuza Gajina, CBRE Excellerate
• Lerato Wendy Mokwena, CBRE Excellerate
• Lwando Baba, Novis
• Shyama Pada Chowdhury, Alliance Energy Mentor
• Sinovuyo Noji, SANEDI
• Lesley Ramaila, SANEDI
• Given Skhosana, Supreme Spring
• Itumeleng Martha Skhosana, Bidvest Facilities Management
• Mbuso Tenza, CBRE Excellerate
• George Garofalos Zonaras, College of Cape Town Lecturer