Reaching 2,962 Learners with Portable Skills Training (2020–2024)
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Success Stories
Reaching 2,962 Learners with Portable Skills Training (2020–2024)
From 2020 to 2024, Train The Nation & Associates implemented an extensive Portable Skills Training Programme alongside leading mining houses and contractors.
The aim was simple but ambitious:
to give community members real, usable skills that could translate into employment, self‑employment or micro‑enterprise opportunities.
According to our consolidated Training Impact Report, a total of 2,962 learners completed portable skills courses during this period, across a wide range of technical and entrepreneurial disciplines.
Partnering with Mines to Reach Their Communities
Portable skills training was delivered in partnership with several key mining operations and community projects, including:
- Cullinan Diamond Mine
- Impala Gold Mine
- Glencore – Eastern Limb
- Glencore – Western Limb
- Glencore Char Tech (Witbank)
- South Deep
- Exxaro – Newcastle
- Zizwe Opencast Mine
At each site, portable skills formed part of broader Social and Labour Plans (SLP’s) or community development commitments, helping operations to invest in sustainable livelihoods beyond the life of the mine.
High‑Demand Technical and Enterprise Skills
The data from 2020–2024 shows strong demand for both technical trades and small‑business‑oriented skills.
Top disciplines by total learners:
- Welding – 407 learners
- Plumbing – 293 learners
- Basic Electrical – 222 learners
- Advanced & Basic Computers – 195 learners
- Brickmaking – 146 learners
- Poultry Farming – 131 learners
- Motor Repair – 132 learners
- Lashes, Nails & Make‑Up – 121 learners
- Carpentry – 117 learners
- Cooking and Baking – 117 learners
Additional courses included:
- Road Repair, Paving, Painting, Plastering, Bricklaying
- Sewing/garment‑making skills
- Vegetable Farming, Solar, Code 14 driving, Power & Hand Tools
- Cattle, Pigs and Small Stock, Business Skills and Computer Literacy
Together these programmes offered a blend of “hard” technical trades and home‑based enterprise skills, giving learners multiple ways to generate income.
Each graduating learner is given a toolkit in order to set them up for success.
Inclusive Skills Development for Men and Women
The 2024 gender breakdown in our report highlights a strong focus on inclusion:
- In technical trades such as Welding (165 males, 12 females), Plumbing (45 males, 16 females) and Basic Electrical (42 males, 31 females), we see more women stepping into traditionally male‑dominated spaces.
- Courses such as Lashes, Nails & Make‑Up (3 males, 61 females), Sewing (5 males, 42 females) and Cooking/Baking (3 males, 30 females) created accessible pathways for women to start home‑based or micro‑enterprise businesses.
- Agriculture‑related programmes like Poultry (57 males, 29 females) and Vegetable Farming (11 males, 28 females) showed a healthy balance, reflecting shared interest in food security and local production.
Overall, in 2024 alone, the gender data records 440 male and 402 female participants – a powerful indication that portable skills training is reaching both men and women in mining communities.
From Training to Income: Stories from the Field
Behind every line of data is a personal journey:
- Welding graduates now provide gates, burglar bars and trailer repairs in their neighbourhoods.
- Plumbing and Basic Electrical learners are paid for essential household repairs, often becoming the “go‑to” person in their street.
- Sewing and Beauty graduates have started home salons and clothing alterations, while Baking graduates supply cakes and snacks to local shops, schools and events.
- Poultry and Vegetable Farming learners are improving household food security and selling surplus produce for cash.
Many of these enterprises began informally – a first paid job here, a neighbour in need there – and have gradually grown into stable side‑businesses or full‑time income sources.
Scaling the Impact Beyond 2,962 Learners
Teaching 2,962 learners is an important milestone – but for Train The Nation & Associates, it is also a starting point.
The next phase of our portable skills strategy focuses on:
- Deepening support for post‑training business start‑up and mentoring.
- Strengthening partnerships with mines, local municipalities and NGOs.
- Expanding access to digital and green‑economy skills, alongside traditional trades.
Our goal is clear:
to continue turning short courses into long‑term livelihoods, and to keep empowering communities through practical, accredited training.
Our Clients
Partner with Us to Design Your Next Portable Skills Project
If you are planning a portable skills or community development initiative for your mine or organisation, we can help you design a programme that is:
- Needs‑driven and data‑based
- Aligned to POPIA, SETA and QCTO requirements
- Tailored to your SLP, LED or CSI strategy
- Focused on measurable, sustainable impact
