GLT funds training of field technicians

[Johannesburg, 10 November 2023]: As part of its commitment to develop its own technical skills, Goscor Lift Trucks (GLT) has partnered with the Artisan Training Foundation (ATF) to sponsor learnerships for field technicians at the Artisan Training Institute (ATI).

Amid a broad deficit of technical skills in South Africa, leading materials handling solutions provider, GLT, is at the forefront of ‘growing its own timber’ to plug the skills gap. As part of this initiative, the company has donated forklifts to the ATF – a specialised non-profit organisation that channels funds to the training of youth for quality vocational occupations – and has assisted in the funding of learnerships drawn from unemployed youth to become field technicians to complete Phase 1, 2 and 3 of their institutional training.

Pieter Wessels, General Manager: Operations at GLT, confirms that the field technicians will train as forklift mechanics as well as auto electricians. The training – to be conducted at ATI’s Roodepoort, Gauteng campus – commenced on October 16, 2023, following the signing of a Tripartite Workplace Learning Agreement between the learners, ATI and GLT.

Award Criteria and GLTC’s Performance

“As part of the agreement, GLT has issued Learnership Employment Contracts to the participants, spanning over three phases of alternating between training at ATI to the completion of trade tests followed by on-the-job experience at GLT, equating to 27 months,” says Wessels.

In addition, ATI has set aside a dedicated workshop facility for all future forklift training programmes, which will be branded as Goscor Forklift Academy. As part of the agreement, GLT has donated a used diesel forklift, a used electrical forklift and scrap engine and transmission for basic stripping and assembling. While Goscor learners will receive first priority to use the workshop, non-Goscor forklift learners may also be trained in the facility.