Learners from various schools across Gauteng were exposed to what the real world looks like as they visited the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA)
The state-owned enterprise responsible for most passenger rail services in the country, launched its first-ever Career Day at its head office in Gauteng, with 70 learners from Mamelodi, Soshanguve, Lyttelton, Soweto, Tembisa, and Kempton Park attending.
The event, themed Thuto Pele – Education First," marks the beginning of a nationwide initiative aimed at inspiring the next generation of rail professionals.
The organisation said it has launched the Career Day initiatives in its regions – KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and this week launched in Gauteng.
The PRASA Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Hishaam Emeran has reaffirmed the agency's commitment to restore and revitalise passenger rail as the backbone of South Africa's public transport.
He encouraged a group of learners attending PRASA’s Career Day to dream big and consider rail as a career path filled with exciting possibilities.
In his opening remarks, Emeran, shared the agency’s ongoing rail rebuilding milestones, including the rollout of world-class trains across the country and the development of student accommodation at Cape Town Station, which are positively impacting communities.
Speaking on the agency's new trajectory and the need for a new generation of leaders in the organisation, Emeran said: “PRASA is turning around, and we need a new generation of leaders. There is a future for you at PRASA, and the agency of the future will need new skills, new innovation, and you are the generation that can drive that innovation”.
Emphasising the role of rail in providing affordable transport, he added that working for PRASA is a noble job.
"You are changing the lives of millions of people. One day, you could be in my position, addressing learners like yourselves," said Emeran.
The agency teams, including representatives from Human Capital, PRASA TECH, and Corporate Real Estate Solutions (CRES), were present, along with members from the Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA).
They highlighted various career opportunities within PRASA.
The PRASA’s Group Human Capital team, under the leadership of Naledi Modibedi, presented the various career options available at the agency, ranging from engineering, ICT, Rail Operations to train driver careers.
General Manager of Group HCM Operations, Christian Nyaba, discussed the range of upcoming bursary and internship programs designed to support students in gaining the necessary qualifications and skills.
“The objectives of the internship programme are to not only ensure the availability of suitably qualified individuals for future PRASA needs but to also address the shortage of skills while empowering graduates. These initiatives support the government’s National Skills Development Strategy,” said Nyaba.
Pabalelo Nkwe, PRASA’s Chief Engineer of Signals and Telecommunications and a registered Professional Engineer (Pr Eng) within the agency’s technical division, shared his personal journey and insights into the diverse career options within PRASA TECH.
“You can pursue a career in Civil Engineering to become a Perway Engineer with a key focus on Maintenance and Engineering works for Bridges & Structures and Railway Tracks, Mechanical Engineering and Electro-Mechanical if you are interested in maintenance and engineering of the Rolling Stock/Trains, or like me, pursue a career in Electrical Engineering (Light Current) and specialise in Railway Signalling and Telecommunications,” said Nkwe.
The event concluded with an exhilarating trip to the Gibela Manufacturing plant, PRASA’s new blue and white modern trains - Isitimela Sabantu - are manufactured. The Gibela team explained that it is manufacturing 600 trains for PRASA and 245 of these trains have been manufactured.
Learners were given a tour of the facility and a first-hand look at the production process, sparking great excitement and interest.
The agency also invited its stakeholders, Gibela Rail Transport Consortium, Gautrain, TETA and the City of Joburg to exhibit during the event.
PRASA said it remains committed to fostering a skilled and innovative workforce to drive the future of rail.
“By engaging young learners, we hope to inspire and empower the next generation to pursue careers in this rapidly evolving industry,” said Emeran.
Tshepang Mabena from Northwood High School said he is privileged to be exposed to the plan and learn about different careers within the agency.
“The Gibela Manufacturing plant was a great experience learning how trains operate, how they are manufactured and how they function. This was an interesting experience, thank you,” said Mabena.
Saturday Star
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