Balwin Properties Launches Vocational Training Centre – To Be Rolled Out Nationally

JSE listed Balwin Properties, a developer that cares about environmentally responsible building practices and the delivery of high-quality apartments to its valued clients, yesterday launched the first of several vocational training centres that will be rolled out nationally.

The first training centre at Mooikloof Smart City, east of Pretoria, will train more than 300 candidates annually in bricklaying, tiling, plastering, plumbing, electrical, first aid, firefighting, and working from heights.

Steve Brookes, CEO and founder of Balwin commented: “The construction sector has lost a considerable number of vocational skills in the aftermath of the Pandemic. This initiative is aimed at empowering local communities as much as it’s about deepening skills in the sector, ensuring its long-term sustainability. Ultimately, it will lead to a higher-quality product for our customers, and cost-savings for Balwin by doing it right first time.”

Nationally recognised vocational training

The Balwin Training Centre will deliver its skills programmes through UXI Artisan Development
(“UXI”), a nationally recognised vocational training network. UXI offers accredited artisan training using a “30/70” workplace-integrated learning” model, comprising 70% practical or on-the-job experience, and 30% classroom theory.

UXi-Artisan Development’s vision is to transform the nation through skills development, artisan training and quality education. The qualifications UXI offers are accredited by the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations’ relevant SETAs. The aim will be to train learners to be Red Seal certified for the most industry relevant candidates.

Ryan Kalk, Co-Managing Director, Balwin Foundation commented: “Our ambition through the Foundation is to unlock opportunity and we call on other sector participants to join us in growing this initiative. We see the Balwin Training Centre as a pathway for members from nearby areas to gain real, recognised trade skills, opening doors into the construction economy, and ensuring that growth is inclusive.”

Cohorts will be sourced form local communities, in close co-operation with Community Liaison Officers. Candidates who successfully complete the course will receive a recognised Certificate of Competency and will be place with Balwin’s sub-contractors wherever possible.

Desiree Hogan, Co-Managing Director, Balwin Foundation said: “We are especially focused on giving people who were hardest hit during the pandemic a chance to rebuild their livelihoods. This training will equip cohorts with technical skills aligned to Balwin’s current strong quality standards.”

International recognition for three-year training programme

In future, Balwin intends to transition the programme to a Red Seal three-year programme. The Red Seal programme (originating from the Canadian model) is generally a certification of trade competence in designated trades across provinces, involving both on-the-job experience and theoretical assessment culminating in a trade-wide standard exam or qualification.

While this will require meeting Red Seal certification requirements, the ambition is to raise the standard of the artisan qualification to this recognised level.

Ongoing quality assurance

Balwin holds certification for ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management), and ISO 45001:2018 (Health & Safety Management) standards, and is the world’s largest sectional title developer of apartments complying with IFC Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiency (“EDGE”) Advanced certification. This ensures a minimum 40% on-site energy saving compared to conventional building methods.

The group also uses digital tools and systems for QAQC (quality assurance / quality control), including real-time inspection and monitoring, to ensure consistency in workmanship across its many developments.

Mooikloof Smart City

Mooikloof Smart City is a large-scale mixed use development launched in 2020 and gazetted as a Strategic Integrated Project (SIP).  The total project value is over R84-billion, making it one of the largest smart city sectional title housing developments in South Africa.

There will be seven infrastructure phases that will cover a total of 15 000 apartments, pre-primary, primary and high schools, sports facilities, and a potential retirement village in addition to retail offerings and filling stations. This will also be a catalyst for other developments in the area, such as a planned new fire station, hospital, solar farms, and additional residential developments.

The project is a public-private collaboration: Balwin is the lead developer, and government bodies are committed to funding external bulk infrastructure (roads, water, electricity, sewer, stormwater) as part of the SIP framework.

To date Balwin has completed phase one of the R205 million infrastructure projects listed below, which have been handed over to the City of Tshwane.

• Bulk Water Upgrades = R90 million
• Bulk Sewer Upgrades = R35 million
• Roads Upgrades = R66 million
• Bulk Electrical Upgrades = R14 million

Phase 2 comprising Mooikloof Mega City Bulk Infrastructure Works at a cost of approximately R150 million is currently under construction:

• Road upgrades and new roads = R31 million
• Stormwater Upgrades = R16 million
• New Reservoir, Sewer, Pump Station & Rising Main = R6 million
• Bulk Water Upgrades = R4 million
• Bulk Electrical Upgrades = R2 million
• K147 (Zwavelpoort Road) linking Atterbury and Garsfontein Roads = R90 million

To date, Balwin has invested in excess of R600 million in bulk infrastructure upgrades in the Riverwalk and Mooikloof Smart City nodes in Pretoria East.

Based on the direct/indirect multiplier, Mooikloof Smart City will generate an Infrastructure Employment Impact of R513 million and a total employment impact during the construction phase of 1 300 direct and indirect jobs.