Five young students are halfway through their year-long learnership at Turners Shipping. The initiative is part of the Turners Training Academy’s ongoing education programme.

The young school-leavers, selected from Westridge High School and the Open Air School, are getting hands-on job experience and will finish with a recognised certificate in International Trade which will give them a start in the job market.

“They attend classes two days of the week and the rest of the time work in various departments in the company,” explains Rene Naidoo, the  Academy’s Training Coordinator.

The classes are taught by a lecturer from one of the maritime training schools in Durban.

“The work experience gives them a feel for the logistics industry and the business environment as a whole. They have already worked in warehousing, finance, the DAS and petrol-chemical departments.

We hope to give them all exposure to as many departments within the company by the end of the learnership so they will get a holistic practical experience.”

Rene Naidoo, the training coordinator at the Turners Training Academy stands with students at the newly established training facility at Turners House in Durban. From left, the students are Ayanda Shandu, Muhummad Rafik, Samkelisiwe Ngcongo and Nobhule Nzuza.