IN-SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAMME (ITP)

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Not long after the official launch of HGA in early 2017, we were made aware of an opportunity to support the Esayidi TVET College, located in Umzimkhulu. The college offers, among other courses, a National Diploma in Farm Management which involves 18 months of theory after which candidates who successfully pass their examinations obtain an N6 qualification and are then required to complete 18 months of in-service training in order to obtain their diplomas. There was at the time, no system in place for the provision of in-service training to students, nor any funding available to support them whilst undergoing their training. At the time this campus alone enrolled upwards of 100 students for this course every semester and so there was a desperate need for assistance.

After exploring several avenues for funding, a significant milestone was reached when Pannar Seed came on board, agreeing to fund the monthly stipend for 20 students for the duration of their 18 months of training. After selecting these students, commercial farmers willing to accommodate and mentor students for a minimum period of six months were then identified. Because the Harry Gwala District is quite diverse in terms of the range of farming operations that exist, our intention to place students on farms in line with their area of interest has been successful with students obtaining experience on dairy, beef, citrus, vegetable, avocado and poultry farming operations.

The first round of students were placed in February 2018 and to date we have had 100 students come through the programme. We are grateful to Pannar Seed who have remained committed partners since the programmes inception and to Standard Bank and P.Trimborn Agency who have also made noteworthy contributions towards it.

STUDENT SELECTION

In the first round of placements in 2018, 20 students were selected from a group of 30 with the top academic results, identified by the Esayidi College staff. The students were interviewed by a panel including HGA director and psychologist, Leigh-Anne Hauff, HGA project manager, Dylan Weyer and two college staff. Although these were the students who had performed well academically, of greater importance for us was to identify those with a passion and desire for a career in agriculture.

In late 2019 the second selection process took place and this time the net was cast wider. Curriculum vitae were accepted from 140 students, many of whom had completed their theory qualification (N6) two or three years prior and were still looking for an opportunity to obtain their training. Fifty students were selected to be interviewed and to undergo a mathematics literacy test. The twenty students that were selected were placed on farms from October 2019.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

At the onset of the programme, a monitoring and evaluation system was put in place in order to ensure that students’ progress and develop through their experience on the commercial farms and to ensure the host farmer is satisfied with their performance. This process involves a meeting every three months between HGA (the facilitator), the student/s and the host farmer/mentor. We are grateful to Mr. Hank Pike, retired Headmaster of the Durban Preparatory High School with over 40 years of service to education in the province, for the guidance he volunteered in the early stages of the development of the programme.

POST-PROGRAMME SUPPORT

After completing their 18 months of training students then have to begin the diploma application process which first involves submitting a lengthy list of certified documents to the HOD of their college department in Umzimkhulu. Thereafter the documents need to be taken by the student to the Esayidi Central Office in Port Shepstone for approval and who then send it to the Department of Higher Education (DHET) in Pretoria for final assessment. It is likely to take a minimum of three months for a student to receive the result of their application once it has reached DHET. The vast majority of these students come from poor families where they are often the breadwinners and so the cost of travel alone in this is considerable.

In order to mitigate against this burden on the student and their families, HGA has devoted a substantial amount of time assisting the students with this process in order to ensure that their applications are not rejected. We too have come up against obstacles and urgently need to establish contact with the relevant person at the DHET with whom we can work to try and ensure we get qualified young professionals into the agricultural work space.

HGA has also explored multiple avenues for potential work or further internship opportunities for the students and are grateful for the support we have had from the likes of the Future Farmers Foundation. Our top performing student in 2018, Mr. Walter Khumalo, was given an opportunity to spend a year on a dairy farm in California, USA through Future Farmers and is presently looking forward to returning to South Africa to continue his career in the dairy industry. Some students have been offered full-time employment on the farms on which they obtained their training while others are determined to take their acquired skills and knowledge back to their respective communities to start agricultural projects there.

SUPPORT FOR OTHER STUDENTS

As one might expect, word of the support we are offering TVET students quickly travelled after the launch of our programme and we are consequently inundated with requests for training/work experience from students from across the province and beyond. To deal with this demand we have established a database possessing the details of these students derived from their CV, statement of results and an application form that they are required to complete. If and when an opportunity arises for a job opportunity or internship we can quickly draw from this database and recommend candidates to the employer and to date we have been able to create opportunity for several students.

EXTRA LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Besides students benefiting enormously from involvement in courses such as artificial insemination that are arranged by farmers for their staff on their farms, we have arranged other learning opportunities to enrich their experience whilst involved in our programme. The first round of students enjoyed getting involved at a livestock auction where they were given an explanation on cattle judging prior to the start of the sale, after which they observed the auction in progress. At the same event they were given talks by CEO and founder of the Future Farmers Foundation, Judy Stuart and her colleague Mzwandile Duma.

Later in the year, students visited Scientific Roets near Kokstad which is, among other things, a business incubator for young entrepreneurs in the agri-business sector. The aim of these field trips is to inspire and make students aware of the opportunities that exist for careers in the agricultural sector.

An orientation event was held in February 2020 for the second round of students where they were enthralled by presentations made by Dr Tod Collins and Mr Walter Blore who shared their wisdom and experience from their respective professions in the agricultural sector. Dr Collins, who recently retired from the veterinary practice after 46 years of service, captivated the students with demonstrative explanations of the various cattle diseases that they may encounter and the different treatments that can be used to combat them. Mr Blore, a labour consultant with over ten years of experience working with and training labourers on farms across the province, offered valuable guidance to the students for personal success in the agricultural workspace and how to manage a team on a farm effectively.

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

FOR STUDENTS WISHING TO APPLY THESE ARE THE REQUIREMENTS:

The programme caters only for undergraduates studying towards a qualification in agriculture
You will need to submit evidence that you have successfully completed your theory and qualify for the practical/in-service training component of your qualification e.g. a letter from your institution
Students are placed on commercial farmers located across the Harry Gwala District Municipality and is best suited to those who live in or near this region.