Eskom has awarded some 138 bursaries to young people, who may be the next generation of Eskom engineers.
The bursaries were awarded in a ceremony held at the power utility’s headquarters, Megawatt Park, on Tuesday.
Eskom Group Chief Executive, Dan Marokane, noted that the bursary programme aligns with government developmental objectives.
“Eskom’s bursary programme aligns with the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 and supports various United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reinforcing the company’s role in workforce development, economic empowerment, and sustainable job creation.
“However, South Africa continues to face a critical shortage of engineering and technical skills, exacerbated by a disconnect between educational qualifications and industry demands. Eskom remains dedicated to closing this gap by equipping students with the necessary expertise to contribute to the country’s energy sector and overall economic growth,” Marokane said.
Additionally, the programme aligns with efforts in “closing the critical skills gap in the country”.
“It also helps reposition Eskom to ensure it remains a pillar of South Africa’s energy sector for the next 100 years. We look forward to the contributions of the recipients to the country’s economy, joining over 10 000 South Africans who have benefited from this scheme since its inception in the 1970s,” he added.
The power utility’s board chairperson, Mteto Nyati noted that the recipients are a boost for the future of engineering in South Africa.
“As Eskom, we have this huge responsibility, and it is reassuring to see that the company will continue to function for another 100 years because of the investment we make in the young population of our country.
“It is truly inspiring to observe the diversity of the students who have joined us today, proudly representing the rainbow nation we are as South Africa. The future of Eskom and of South Africa is in good hands,” Nyati said.
Eskom acting head of Human Resources, Monde Bala, said recipients of the bursary are “essential to our engineering pipeline”.
“As an organisation rooted in engineering expertise, Eskom primarily supports studies in various disciplines of engineering to ensure our workforce can meet both current and future energy needs.
“Bursary recipients typically start their careers as Engineers in Training and then move into specialist and leadership roles within Eskom’s Generation, Distribution, and the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA).
“We have set a clear goal to ensure that 50% of beneficiaries are women, and we are on track to achieve this, with 39% of beneficiaries currently being women,” Bala said. – SAnews.gov.za
