Young Electrical Engineering Intern on her way to success
Seeing how residents in the rural village where she grew up struggle without electricity inspired Nomakhosi Valentine Sithole to study electrical engineering.
Nomakhosi, 26, who comes from Vryheid in KwaZulu Natal is currently doing her in-service training with ZAC. She hopes to get her Government Certificate of Competency (GCC) certificate and ultimately start practising as a qualified electrical engineer.
Getting her GCC will be a dream come true, but her love for all things electrical started when she was still at school.
“I was really fascinated about the electricity from the high school level until varsity then that is where I decided to pursue a career in Electrical Engineering,” says Nomakhosi.
After passing matric, she went on to study for a National Diploma and BTech in Electrical Engineering. She got to learn about the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity.
Nomakhosi arrived at ZAC after completing her learnership at Eskom. The 2-year engineering-in-training opportunity at ZAC is a stepping stone for Nomakhosi to get her GCC and become an accredited engineer.
For Nomakhosi getting the GCC would be a great achievement. “It’s a tough place since it’s a male-dominated industry. You have to be strong and stand your ground,” she says. Nomakhosi believes the industry must invest more in preparing women to take up more positions in mining.
She is aware that building her career will come with challenges, but she is ready to face up to them.
“There are always challenges but you have to know what you want. No one can take that away from you. You just have to know your story and know where you are going,” says Nomakhosi.
Ithwasa elincane lobunjiniyela bukagesi liphokophele empumelelweni
Ukubona ukuthi abantu besigodi akhulele kuso badonsa kanzima kanjani ngenxa yokungabi nogesi kwakhuthaza uNksz Nomakhosi Valentine Sithole ukuthi enze izifundo zobunjiniyela bukagesi.
UNksz Sithole oneminyaka ewu-26, odabuka eVryheid, KwaZulu-Natali wenza i-in-service training eZAC. Uthemba ukuthi uzothola isitifiketi esibizwa ngeGovernment Certificate of Competency (i-GCC) ukuze ezokwazi ukuqala asebenze njengonjiniyela kagesi oqeqeshwe ngokuphelele.
Kuyobe kufezeka iphupho kuye mhlazane ethola i-GCC, ukuthanda izinto zikagesi yinto eyaqala esasesikoleni.
“Wawungichaza ugesi kusukela ngisafunda isikole samabanga aphezulu kwaze kwaba ngifika enyuvesi nokuyilapho nganquma khona ukufundela i-Electrical Engineering,” kusho uNksz Sithole.
Emva kokuphasa uMatikuletsheni wenze i-National Diploma neziqu i-BTech in Electrical Engineering. Ufunde ngokuphehla, ukuthutha nokusabalalisa ugesi.
UNksz Sithole ufike eZAC emva kokuphothula ukuqeqeshwa e-Eskom. Loku kuqeqeshwa iminyaka emibili eZAC kuzomsiza athole i-GCC bese eba ngunjiniyela ngokugcwele.
Uthi uyobe uzuze lukhulu mhlazane wathola i-GCC. “Yindawo enzima ngoba yimboni egcwele amadoda. Kufanele uzibambe ziqine,” kusho yena. Ukholwa wukuthi imboni kufanele yenze okuthe xaxa ukulungiselela abantu besifazane ukuthi bathole izikhundla ezimayini.
Uthi uyazi ukuthi umsebenzi wakhe uzohambisana nezinselelo kodwa uthi ukulungele ukubhekana nazo.
“Zihlale zikhona izinselelo kodwa kufanele uzazi ukuthi ufunani, akekho ongakuphuca lokho. Kufanele uzazi ukuthi uphokophele kuphi,” kusho uNksz Sithole.