Orapa Technical College graduates 20 new artisans
ORAPA: The Orapa Technical College (OTC) 2023 class just graduated, marking the 44th graduation since the college’s founding. OTC recently held its apprenticeship graduation ceremony under the theme, ‘Transforming minds through purpose-driven and self-sustaining skills’.
The college offers training in welding, fabrication, maintenance fitting, heavy plant mechanics, electrical, and auto mechanics. Over the years, the technical institution has prepared and equipped young people with the skills necessary to develop the desired workforce through the apprenticeship programme.
When giving a keynote address, Debswanas Orapa, Letlhakane, and Damtshaa Mines (OLDM) general manager, Mogakolodi Maoketsa said OTC opened its doors in 1974.
He pointed out that since the training centre’s founding, apprentices have been trained for Debswana mines as well as other organisations around the nation, fostering the development of skills for the mining industry and other economic sectors. OTC graduated its first six (6) artisans in 1978, and it has since produced around 1, 400 artisans. According to Maoketsa, the 2023 cohort will be the 44th to complete OTC’s apprenticeship programme.
He said eight maintenance industrial electricians, five maintenance fitters, five heavy plant mechanics, and two fabricators and welders will be joining the industry.
When speaking about the theme, Maoketsa indicated that they are transforming how they build and run today’s business and how they improve their work.
“We are working smart every day to innovate, to rethink, and to reinvent the business we are in. This year’s theme talks about transforming minds. Strategies of preventative and predictive maintenance are now being absorbed by the industry to avert equipment downtime. These maintenance strategies are accompanied by technological approaches,” he added.
He stated that some of their leverage points for bringing about change and transformation, achieving operational efficiency, and boosting productivity are innovation and technology.
Technology plays a pivotal role in driving this transformation, serving as a catalyst as we strive for innovation and change, said Debswana OLDM general manager.
“To the graduates, your graduation marks the assumption of new responsibilities. You will be entrusted with the company’s valuable equipment to look after, and there will be employees that look up to you. This calls for a mindset change, from being technically dependent as a learner to being a responsible artisan,” he added.
Maoketsa noted that training has been a collaborative effort between the college and other stakeholders, in particular the mining companies that train apprentices at OTC.
He also shared that OTC is ISO 9001/2015 certified, which is a quality management system that ensures that all deliveries are done to international standards.
He further emphasised how technology is changing, as it calls for everyone to remain relevant in their fields of work.
Maoketsa argued for the graduates to continue learning and up-skilling to meet the future requirements of their trade disciplines.
“For at least the past 10 years, Orapa Technical College has achieved a sterling performance of a 100% pass rate across all trades. The college has produced people who have progressed to greater heights in their career paths — engineers and managers, just to mention but a few — that’s a true indication of personal transformation in the field of work,” said Debswana OLDM general manager.
Lefoko Sethoko, senior engineering manager of OLDM and chairperson of the OTC board, congratulated the graduates on their career decision.
“It’s a route that requires ardour and diligence to follow. Safety is still crucial, and graduating does not give you permission to take shortcuts or shift your work attitude from excellent to bad,” he advised.
Sethoko said receiving a license to work in the field is a requirement for graduating. As the graduates prepared themselves to enter the workforce, he encouraged them to pursue new avenues for learning and to keep studying.