The PROTEC board visits Schoemansdal
2006-07-04
On
the slopes of the mighty Soutspansberg Mountain near Makhado (formerly Louis
Trichardt) lies the Schoemansdal Environmental Education Multi-purpose
Centre which is the grooming ground for the PROTEC students to become excellent
leaders. Every year about 60 Grade 11 students from the local high schools
in the Greater Phalaborwa area are sponsored to attend a one-week leadership
course by the PROTEC Phalaborwa branch. The PROTEC programme has been running
in Phalaborwa since 1998 and it is sponsored by three major companies namely
Palabora Mining Company, Foskor and Sasol Nitro. The other sponsors
are Standard Bank, Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, Phalaborwa Chamber of Business,
Professional
Career
Consultants, Lepelle Northern Water and the Department of Education.
Mr Carel Kilian who is a veteran at Schoemansdal, has been providing the leadership course to the PROTEC students since 1998. Mr Kilian himself is an exceptionally good leader with a lot of positive energy. The success of the PROTEC programme in Phalaborwa can be attributed to a number of factors and Mr Kilian’s role is not insignificant. He practises what he preaches - the most important quality which is needed for a good leader. He is always positive in his outlook and encourages the youth to be positive as well. In the words of one of our former students, “He called me to the cliff and I refused because I was afraid. He called me again and I refused again. He called me again and I went reluctantly and he pushed me down the cliff and I flew. I survived because I learnt a new skill” – That is what Mr Kilian is! He has the ability to unleash the potential in you. Some of us do not really know our capabilities – Let us try and fail rather than not trying at all!
The PROTEC Management Board constitutes senior managers from all the sponsoring companies. They paid a visit to Schoemansdal on 11 July 2006 while the Grade 11 students were undergoing the leadership course. They were amazed to see some of the activities which were being done by the students. A lot of problem solving activities coupled with physical endurance skills were the order of the day for 5 days and nights. The Board members were so excited and they recommend this course to all high school students.
The Palabora Foundation’s Director Mr Marc Demmer who is also the Chairman of the PROTEC Management Board is instrumental in establishing the PROTEC Phalaborwa branch and the programme has produced over 200 engineers, technicians, IT specialists, geologists, medical technicians, and medical doctors over a very short period of time. The development of this high level human resource pool is essential for the smooth running of the mines and industries in our country.
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Run with assistance from the European Union