Work is the means whereby people re-create themselves and their world.

In Sub-Saharan Africa the levels of unemployment and poverty are extremely high. At the same time there is a great need for physical infrastructure in both urban and rural areas. These problems are set within a low level of individual and community capacity in both technical and institutional terms. Conditions could be alleviated simultaneously through the use of employment-intensive methods for the construction and maintenance of infrastructure.

Innovative engineering and relevant training is required to achieve the objective of producing high quality products in a cost-effective manner. In addition, detailed research into related technical, social, economic and political issues is needed.

Labour Intensive Training and Engineering (LITE) was established as a Section 21 association-not-for-gain in 2000 to spearhead these challenges.

Mission Statement
Improving the lives of the rural and urban poor, who are willing to work, through vocational, life, literacy and numeracy skills training and employment-intensive construction of public infrastructure.

Vision
To become Southern Africa’s leading Service Provider and Implementing Agent in the field of skills training for employment-intensive construction, in order to contribute to national and international objectives of job creation and alleviation of poverty and related socio-economic issues.

LITE was established with the following aims:

- to establish and carry out multi-disciplinary training programmes with a focus on technical,
entrepreneurial/organisational, basic educational, social and life skills;

- to disseminate the results of these programmes, particularly the implications for the planning
and implementation of employment creation programmes; and

- to develop, both through the training programmes and internally, skilled human resources
in the field of employment-intensive construction in particular and in the field of development
in general.

LITE is assisted by the resources of EIEC (Pty) Ltd (Employment Intensive Engineering Consultants) and the WORK Research Centre for Employment Creation in Construction, based in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, at the University of the Witwatersrand, to carry out work in the following areas:

- employment-intensive construction and maintenance of municipal infrastructure (for example,
roads, storm water drainage, water supply, water reticulation and sewage systems), dams,
and buildings;

- determination of the relative costs and benefits of using different construction techniques;

- community participation and local (youth) empowerment;

- development of training materials;

- organising, managing and implementing (practical) training programmes; and

- internal and external capacity building.

Mohlaletse Youth Service Programme
MYSP 2002/3

Over a period of 12 months, a group of 60 trainees from Mohlaletse, Limpopo Province, was trained in technical, English, mathematics and life skills, under the banner of the Mohlaletse Youth Service Programme (MYSP). The MYSP is being funded by, and receives programme assistance from, the Umsobomvu Youth Fund.

The programme is geared towards delivering fully-trained, competent and confident
‘hands-on’ Construction Site Supervisors, trained according to the standards set up and accredited by the SA Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA), as part of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

The group of trainees consisted of young people (between 18 and 35 years old, average age 26), and has a majority (57%) of female participants. The training takes place both on the construction site and in the classroom. The classroom training takes place in the LITE Training School, in Mohlaletse, while the practical training is done on several sites in the vicinity. The school was built by a LITE team in the first half of 2002, with the vast majority of the material and labour being sourced locally. For 2003, an extension of the school is planned, doubling the training potential for an even bigger impact and increased capacity building.

Training was set up in such a way, that there were two classes of 30 trainees each, who alternated a week on site with a week in the classroom, ensuring a constant presence of a group on site, therefore maximising the productive output both in class and on site.

57 out of the initial 60 trainees have completed the entire 12-month training programme, and all trainees are very committed to the programme. Class and site attendance is very high at over 98%. A steady increase in the results of the various skills tests was witnessed over the entire year, with the final examination in March 2003.

All construction activities carried out by the trainees were supervised by a team of site supervisors, headed by a LITE Project Manager, while the teaching in class was done by a team of 6 qualified trainers. The infrastructure that was built as part of the practical training, all contributes to the permanent infrastructure in Mohlaletse, with the bulk of the work comprising of some 700 meter of gravel road rehabilitation, and the construction a similar amount of stormwater drainage, some 20 culverts and one large drift. This work contributes significantly to the improvement of the village’s infrastructure, local employment generation, a safer work and living environment, and gives a boost to the local economy at the same time.

Career Streaming and Employment/Exit Opportunities

During the last two months of the programme, a career streaming opportunity is offered to all the trainees in the MYSP. The main stream consists of a continuation of the Technical Training. Two additional streams are introduced in this last period: Entrepreneurial Training (10 trainees) and Administration Training (5 trainees). Selection for these streams is based on test results, trainees’ ambitions, and the trainer’s opinions and perceptions.

It is envisaged, and actively supported, that the 15 entrepreneurial and administration trainees will start their own business(es), supplying construction projects and companies with the necessary goods and services. LITE is actively involved in offering these future graduates business opportunities within the current LITE programmes.

Accredited Training

All training conducted under the LITE banner, and LITE as a Service Provider itself, is - or is in the process of becoming - fully accredited according to SAQA standards. Completed and passed training modules give the trainee credits that contribute towards a registered qualification.

Future

The training and construction programme that is developed through the MYSP has resulted in a replicable programme model that can be used in many similar situations and programmes. In the near future, this model will be used as a basis to develop more and larger training and construction programmes throughout South Africa.

Organisational Structure

Since LITE’s inception in 2000, LITE’s staff complement has grown from a single Project Manager in 2000, to a current Head Office structure with 6 permanent employees, and a Mohlaletse site management structure with 10 permanent and 6 temporary positions. Besides the internal capacity, LITE uses the services and expertise of external service providers as well where necessary. LITE is governed by a Board of Directors, consisting of seven directors, of which two are Executive Directors

Contact Details

Physical address:

Cnr. Rivonia Rd. & 7th Ave.
Rivonia
Johannesburg
South Africa

Postal address:

PO Box 480
Rivonia 2128
Johannesburg
South Africa

Tel: +2711 234 8857

Fax: +2711 234 8867

Email: lite@employmentcreation.org

Web: www.employmentcreation.org