Languages: 
A strategic compromise struck between garden maintenance employees and one of the university’s academic departments has seen the institution piloting a free basic computer literacy training programme for the workers.
At least 10 Idube Landscaping staff members who turn the soil at Buffalo City Campus’ Potsdam Site are benefitting from an initiative instituted by the university’s Department of People Development and Technology (PDT) as part of its community engagement responsibility.
“The Idube employees approached the departmental head of PDT some time ago regarding certain work-related frustrations. However, because these workers aren’t employed by the university, it was explained to them that WSU could not assist with their challenges. The department however had a meeting and, as part of its academic citizenship duties, offered to provide some educational skills to enrich and empower workers for the future by, for example, training them in basic computer skills,” said PDT lecturer and programme coordinator Dr Tinashe Murire.
He said after some of the workers showed interest in the department’s proposal, a process to obtain approval for the Basic Computer Skills course was quickly embarked upon after which the first class was held in 22 January 2022.
One of the participants in the course is Masixole Mgqaliso from the village of Nkqonkqweni on the outskirts of East London who started working for the maintenance company in 2020.
“Though the university wasn’t in a position to deal with some of our substantive employment issues, what impresses me most is that they went beyond the call of duty and sought to intervene where they thought it appropriate and necessary. Their intervention is invaluable as now I’ll be equipped with a skill that I never had before and no one can take away from me,” said Mgqaliso.
He urged the university to expand the programme in the near future to the broader surrounding community so as to afford a greater number of people an opportunity to gain the computer skills he’s learnt through the initiative.
The course, which sees hour-long classes being held once a week on Wednesdays, is scheduled to be completed by the end of April 2022.
Murire said: “The training has covered programs such as Microsoft Word; Excel; Powerpoint Presentation; as well as emails and internet exploration.”
He said upon completion, participants would be acknowledged and presented with a certificate of completion.
By Thando Cezula
