The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) Career Management is a response to specific scarce and technical skill-related issues that are affecting both the Department and the National Water Sector. Career Management is committed to the effective administration of the programme ensuring the provision of an immediate response to the perceived and imminent threat of skills shortages within DWS and the water sector in South Africa.
The immediate objectives of Career Management are to forestall a skills shortage within DWS that will arise from the retirement of senior engineering and technical management personnel. In the long-term, Career Management will lead a sustained campaign to secure a steady supply of high level skills in water-related science, engineering, and management to meet projected demand within DWS and the water sector.
The scope of work of Career Management is covering the full spectrum of knowledge acquisition including outreach and public understanding of the water sector, supporting academic and vocational training programmes in South Africa, and incubating specifically professionally qualified blacks and female employees within DWS.
Career Management is focused on supporting academic programmes through bursaries and experiential training (Learner Interns). In addition young, inexperienced graduates (Graduate Trainees) are accommodated in a mentoring programme that includes amongst others on the job training, active involvement and participation in real-time projects, and attendance of specialised training interventions.
The project is designed to address:
- Skills gaps in specific technical areas of DWS.
- Skills gaps in the overall water supply value chain.
- Planning and building capacity for the immediate, medium and long term needs of DWS and the water sector.