Go for Gold Programme

The Go for Gold project is a partnership between The Western Cape Education Department (WCED), Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA), the Amy Biehl Foundation and finally, Neil Muller Construction (NMC).  Funds are provided by all four partners, including covering the cost of direct access to the prgamme to offering full bursaries during a student's time at Cape Peninsula Univeristy in Technology (CPUT). 

Go for Gold, utilising the esteemed experience of their programme manager, seconded by the WCED,  a senior official of the WCED, and the managing director of the NMC, addresses the lack of underprivileged Grade 11and 12 students concentrating in mathematics and science from the Western Cape. The project serves 23 schools in Bonteheuweal, Crossroads, Guguletu, Heideveld, Mannenburg, Phillipi and Mitchell’s Plain, providing tutoring, practical training, financial support, lifeskills tuition and job opportunities.

During phase one, students are chosen from grades 11 and 12 for the programme based on displaying academic merit, high levels of motivation and the desire to enter the construction industry.  After the students initial acceptance they receive tutoring for two hours per day, three days a week.  They are collected from the various schools in the "hub" area using transportation provided by the WCED.  Students are strongly encouraged to participate in field trips to construction sites, and attend a once a year weekend camp where members of the construction industry are invited to speak, and the wider programme is discussed.  

Phase Two is an excerice in practical experience, taking place after matriculation, and lasts for one year.  At this stage, students are placed at construction sites, drawing R1 200 per month, while being exposed to a variety of practical tasks from brick laying, plumbing, painting, carpentry, plastering and general labor.  Every six weeks a new program begins at Boland College allowing the students to migrate between lessons in its multi-skilled building programme back to the building site, creating a base of practical experience while simultaneously working towards a one year certificate.

In the third phase, students enroll full-time at CPUT for a three year B. Tech degree in quantity surveying or a three year diploma in construction management.  The CETA provides all students with full bursaries, at the same time, the corresposnding sponsoring companies keep in constant contact with the student offering practical assistance if needed with course material or projects, and employ them during CPUT vacations.

Newly qualified students are placed in permanent employment at the commencement of phase four.  At this juncture students have attained the needed qualifications, and a well developed working relationship, formed from bursaries during their years at university, usually allow for an easy but not compulsory, transition into employment with their sponsoring companies.         

Innovation

The key innovation of the Go for Gold programme revolves around the lead- in by private sector actors. They identified a lack of skill sets in the labor pool, from a direct lack of education, and created, in unison with the government run WCED, a programme addressing the deficiencies in math and science that currently frustate local construction firms.  To combat exceedingly high illiteracy rates in eleventh and twelfth grade sciences and mathematics funds were drawn to establish high quality tutoring programmes that generated substantial improvement in the percentage of success for matric students.  To further improve the quality of professional candidates, support was manufactured on the collegiate level through the working world via scholarships, bursaries and employment oppurtunities after graduation.     

Effectiveness

Currently, 23 schools comprise the base from which candidates are drawn, and initially placed.  The programme is in the process of tutoring a group of 62 learners. 77 have been tutored to date and only 2 have failed their final exams. Since 2002, there has been a 100% pass rate. Of the 77 that are tutored at school level only 4 have not continued with some sort of further education. Of these 73 students, 32 have studied for 3 or more years to gain various qualifications in construction, building and carpentry courses.

Poverty Impact

Go for Gold addresses the important problem of dearth of skills in the construction industries.  By elevating results in mathematics and science, they are preparing young people for skills development and tertiary education and training.  By developing the students' confidence, sense of self worth and skills training they are empowering young people to meet the challenges of the working world.  Through sponsoring tertiary training they ensure young people are well trained and employable.

Sustainability

CETA provides the main source of funding, and donations are raised through appeals and contributions from partners, such as proceeds shared from the golf day, oragnised by Construction Management Professionals, and an annual dinner, which has proven to be very successful.  These funds depend on the goodwill of the organisations choosing to support Go for Gold.

Replication

Other business sectors could adopt this model of academic and professional incorporation with the help of partners willing to provide funding and employment.

Partnerships

• Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA)
• Western Cape Education Department
• Neil Muller Construction (NMC)
• Amy Biehl Foundation