Cape Town Plumbing Training College providing vital skills and empowerment opportunities for students especially women
Today I had the pleasure of visiting a young and thriving plumbing and artisan training college in Parow, Cape Town.
The React Training College, based in the Parow Industria area is the first black women-owned and managed Construction Education & Training Authority (CETA) accredited plumbing and artisan training college in Cape Town.
The React Training College was started by two Cape Town-born and bred women, Celeste le Roux and Charmaine Jampies and David Le Roux in November 2019 as they identified the need for superior, skilled plumbing artisans.
The two women who are pioneers in their field were determined to make their mark in the male-dominated construction industry and believe that they needed to change the narrative and playing field by being catalysts for change in the industry especially for women of colour.
Co-Founder, Celeste Le Roux said: “Our mission is to empower, develop and train superior plumbing artisans. As previously disadvantaged and black women in the construction industry, it has been fundamentally crucial for us to develop and empower women.”
Charmaine Jampies, who hails from Elsies River is the principal and director at the college. She has more than 30 years’ experience in the artisan training field.
Celeste Le Roux who grew up in Retreat is the Chief Executive Officer of the college with a degree in Management Practice from the UCT Graduate School of Business.
Celeste Le Roux has scooped numerous awards in the built environment for her work and success over the past two years. Last year she won third place in the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Women Empowerment Awards for “Women-Owned contractor of the year” and won “Women Mentor of the Year” at the same awards in 2020.
Two weeks ago, Celeste won three awards at the CIDB Women Empowerment awards: “Exceptional Women in Construction Contributor of the Year”, Women-owned Entity of the Year” and second place in “Women Mentor of the Year”.
In 2020, she won the “Top Women Entrepreneur” Award at the Standard Bank Top Women Awards.
The React Training College provides Competency Based Modular Training with new innovative plumbing techniques. They have tailored their courses to ensure that their artisans are trained for the South African water and infrastructure challenges.
This focus in their work is so crucial as a large percentage of water is lost before it reaches customers due to water leaks. The South African water system requires qualified and skilled artisans to ensure that we protect and increase the efficiency of our infrastructure.
They train students to equip them with the necessary skills to be trade-test ready within a few months.
The skills and courses offered at the training college include: plumbing courses, sheet metal work courses, trade test preparation, high pressure drain cleaning training, leak detection and sewer cam detection training.
Their courses are all accredited by CETA and all training includes working with equipment on site to provide students with real building work and maintenance experience with experienced artisans.
I visited the college today to see and hear from the team and students first-hand what they have been able to achieve less than two years since they opened.
It was amazing to see what the women at the helm of the college have been able to achieve and I applaud them for being disruptors in their field and challenging the status quo.
What also stood out during my visit is that the college not only teaches students artisan skills but there is also an emphasis on advancing and empowering women and developing emerging contractors and small to medium enterprises to operate their own businesses. On average, the college has around 40% female students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.
While Women’s Month has come to an end, I believe that women should be celebrated all year around and this visit was to ensure that we continue to shine the spotlight institutions being led by women who are making their mark in a male-dominated industry.
The React Training College has achieved so much in their first two years of existence and it was wonderful to see women to claim their space in the construction and related industries.
Today’s visit affirms that women have so much to offer in our country and in the built environment. There is no limit to what the women and girls in our country can achieve and React Training College is just one of many other women-owned businesses in South Africa which we can be proud of.
Young girls and women can look to these women who are leading the way and building their own companies for inspiration and know that women can achieve anything. Women who are empowered must also do more to empower other women and in doing so we will create a new generation of women leaders of industry.
I am immensely proud of women like Celeste le Roux and Charmaine Jampies who are determined, resilient and willing to take on the task to step up and claim their place and destiny. I salute all our women leaders in their respective fields and implore them to keep pushing and as we rise, may we lift others.
Enquiries:
Zara Nicholson - Media Liaison Officer to Minister Patricia de Lille
Mobile: 079 416 5996
Email: zara.nicholson@dpw.gov.zahttp://zara.nicholson@dpw.gov.za
