The Engen Computer School has capped another 72 graduates from South Durban whose basic computer skills qualification boosts their chances of finding employment. 

A graduation ceremony took place on 4 May 2023 at the Engen sponsored school, which has been transforming lives in South Durban for 14 years and has to date capped 2 753 residents of South Durban. 

Jerri Lee Gaillard, who graduated in 2022 and has subsequently secured a position as a Supply Chain Clerk after finishing the course last year, thanked Engen for opening the doors of employment.  

“I’m grateful because this course helped me get a really good job,” commented Gaillard. 

Equally excited by finding jobs, Haille Dickens – employed as a call centre agent at Amalfie - and Memory Mqadi – who works as a plant safety administrator, capturing data on MS Excel and creating training presentations on MSs PowerPoint at NPC Cement – recently contacted the Centre to share their good news. 

Course convener and training director, Sheryl Casalis said that these graduates managed to secure jobs thanks to their new computer literacy skills.  

“I can also confirm that 12 graduates from the May 2023 course have secured learnership positions on the Addtech Development Solutions Systems Development learnership,” added Casalis. 

“In addition, learnerships have been secured at Wentworth Youth Development Programme and KwaZulu-Natal Oils, while Sefora Yaseen secured a position as an Administrator at Spar and Thandokuhle Khwela commences work as an administrator later this month.” 

Well-known in the local community and frequently boasting a waiting list, Engen Computer School applicants must be unemployed school-leavers who reside in South Durban who are eager to upskill themselves. 

The Engen Computer School offers members of the South Durban community free introductory-level computer skills training, which covers 8-unit standards of the National Certificate: Information Technology: End User Computing. 

Casalis said she was pleased to see how many graduates had found jobs over the years or been accepted onto Learnerships as a direct result of their training at the Engen Community Computer School.  

“The Engen Community Computer School training makes a tangible difference to the attitudes of the people who attend the course.   

“Many arrive feeling hopeless and not believing that they have the ability to learn how to use a computer;” she added. 

The latest batch of graduates, who are all excited to put their newly acquired computer skills into practice, were congratulated by Engen’s head of Transformation and Stakeholder Engagement, Dr James Nyawera. 

“Our 72 latest graduates all deserve a big round of applause for their effort,” commented Nyawera. 

“At Engen, we believe that continuous community upskilling will ensure resilience and readiness in today’s everchanging and demanding new digital world.”  

While matric and age criteria are not prescribed, most students who attend the school are aged from 20 to 40.   

“The Engen Computer School has a proud history of giving graduates the knowledge and confidence to go out and seek jobs that would otherwise have been beyond their reach,” continued Nyawera.  

“As a caring and responsible company, Engen is humbled to play a small role in positively changing lives of community members who reside in an area close to the Engen Refinery.”  

As a company, Engen champions nine of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 4 – Quality Education, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. 

Engen is also a long-time supporter of education in Durban through its Engen Maths and Science Schools (EMSS), which seek to address South Africa's key skills shortages in the engineering and technical fields, thereby contributing to the economic growth and transformation of the country. 

In KwaZulu-Natal, the EMSS programme offers additional Maths, Science and English tuition every Saturday to under-privileged learners from grades 10-12 at Fairvale High School, Ganges High School, Hillview High School and Umlazi Commercial High School. 

Operating for over 30 years, the EMSSs measure of success is an annual matric class that consistently surpasses the national average of successful learners and learners who matriculate with a bachelor’s pass.  

The 2022 EMSS matric class attained an 97% overall pass rate, versus the South African national average of 80%.