New Age Engineering Solutions launched its training programme with a clear mission: to upskill young people and equip them with the practical, in-demand expertise needed to succeed in the workplace.
This month, that vision reached an important milestone. A group of New Age 12 trainees travelled to the Western Cape to take their Pipe Fitter Trade Test at West Coast College, Vredenburg Campus. The trip represents a proud moment for the participants and the programme itself, as it marks the first time New Age presented candidates for trade testing since the initiative began.
Thapelo Mathipa joined New Age with no artisan experience but stayed patient and grew to love pipefitting. “I told myself to be resilient. Now I see this trade test as a big opportunity to build a future,” he said. For Sinethemba, entering a male-dominated field was tough, but she pushed herself. She says she never thought she’d use a grinder or cutting torch, but she kept going. She added that this test proves they qualify for their trade.
Thapelo and Sinethemba agreed that the trade test is a life-changing opportunity. Beyond this trade test, Thapelo hopes to study further and eventually move into a Superintendent role, while Sinethemba aspires to grow into quality control (QC) and leadership roles. Thapelo credited their supervisor, Ford Marais, as a role model whose guidance and problem-solving inspired them throughout training.
“As New Age, we are proud to see how the programme has evolved over time, and that we are now able to support and facilitate trade testing for opportunities as part of our goal to equip trainees with the resources and qualifications they need for long-term success.”
”Pipefitting is widely recognised as a scarce and technically demanding skill in the industry. New Age is proud to be among the accredited training providers contributing to this critical trade by successfully training and preparing apprentices for trade testing.” thendo
Keep an eye on our website and social media platforms to follow their journey as we continue to share updates on the trainees’ progress.
