Furniture manufacturing programme empowering locals

 

Furniture manufacturing programme empowering locals

NONDUDUZO NGCONGO

THE 12-month Furniture Manufacturing Skills Development Programme for approximately 30 trainees is well underway at the Umkhumbane Entrepreneurial Support Centre. The cohort will complete the programme in November this year.

Thirty trainees are participating in the Furniture Manufacturing Skills Development Programme. They remained highly focused as they learnt to hone their craft. Picture: SUPPLIED 

Participants are turning their newly acquired skills into real opportunities with many already making furniture sales while still in training. This hands-on programme, which started in November last year, is a partnership between the eThekwini Municipality, the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority, and My Space Academy.

It aims to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with practical, market-ready furniture making skills. Trainees are taught to craft a wide range of furniture products including ottomans, couches, headboards, and chairs. In addition, they also receive training in workplace health and safety, drawing and engineering design, and re-upholstery.

In this class is well-known entertainer and Master of Ceremonies Smanga Mkhwanazi, who said the course came at the perfect time, ‘’I am still in entertainment but also embarking on this furniture making journey. We are learning so much, enough to kick-start our businesses and be independent. I am truly grateful for the opportunity,’’ he shared. He credits the COVID-19 pandemic for being a wakeup call that taught him the importance of having multiple income streams.

Busi Mkhize of My Space Academy, who is leading the programme, praised the group’s commitment. ‘’The trainees are showing a real hunger for learning and determination to be a success. They can now create furniture from scratch, and we’re connecting them with various market access opportunities. Many companies are already showing interest, with some confirming their orders.’’ Mkhize added that with the support of partners like Innovate Durban, trainees are exploring modern production techniques such as 3D printing and laser cutting, positioning them at the forefront of innovative furniture design.

Municipal Programme Manager Nonhlanhla Khumalo noted that the initiative is now in its seventh year, and its impact is unmeasurable in terms of jobs creation. ‘’This is more than skills training, it’s about building futures, fostering independence, and transforming communities through sustainable entrepreneurship.’’

After completion, trainees will be awarded South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 2 certificates.

Furniture Making Programme Praised For Creating Jobs

 

Nonduduzo Ngcongo

Dr. Mimmy Gondwe, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training led a delegation to the Umkhumbane Entrepreneurship Support Centre in Cato Manor to assess the Furniture Manufacturing and Upholstery Skills Development Training Programme. She was accompanied by Ward 29 Councillor Bhekisisa Mngadi and the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FP&MSETA) CEO Dr. Felleng Yende on the visit on 29 November.

Dr Mimmy Gondwe, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training with Ward 29 Councillor Bhekisisa Mngadi were impressed with the high standard of work produced by participants of the Furniture Making Skills Development Programme at the Umkhumbane Entrepreneurship Support Centre.                        Picture: Saneli Mthalane

The oversight visit aimed to evaluate the impact of the ongoing programme, which has been providing essential skills in furniture production. After a walkabout through the centre, Deputy Minister Gondwe was left highly impressed with the high-quality, beautiful furniture pieces created by the 60 trainees currently enrolled in the programme.

“What I saw today is phenomenal and inspiring. From the stories told by beneficiaries, I can confidently state that skills development is the key to stimulate job creation and end hunger in communities,” she remarked.

The Deputy Minister also emphasised the importance of partnerships, calling on the private sector to support the initiative. "I have a passion to see women empowered, especially young women. What excites me most about this programme is that most of the beneficiaries are women, they are leading in what used to be a male-dominated sector," she added.

The programme, now in its sixth year, has trained over 150 beneficiaries, many of whom are youth and women. Of these, about 70 percent have gone on to start their own businesses and employed at least three people. One notable success story is Matho Mathenjwa, who founded Feel in Heaven Design. After receiving funding through the provincial government Operation Vula Programme once she completed her tarining, Mathenjwa grew her business and now employs over 10 people. She expressed her gratitude for the assistance which helped her to grow her business.

“I received R200 000 which was a breakthrough and helped me kickstart my business and grow it to where it is today,” she said.

Councillor Mngadi praised the programme, noting that it aligns with the City's goal to empower communities through entrepreneurship.

This year, the programme is training 60 new participants, with 30 completing a three-month course and 30 enrolled in a one-year learnership. The initiative, a collaboration between eThekwini Municipality’s Business Support Unit, FP&MSETA, and My Space Academy, is helping foster job creation and self-employment opportunities.