Eskom engineer exodus

[TheChamp]

I remember sitting in a Board Meeting (No I was not a senior employee at the time- just had to present something) and they were talking about the scarce artisan/technical skills and the CEO said that back in the day,, the Parastatals were the training organisations for all these type of skills which companies would then take on. As these Parastatals went downhill, this created a shortage of these skills in the market as they were not training these skills anymore. Just think if the ANC did nothing to these organisations except encourage them to continue training where could South Africa be now.

But it was a bad attitude, I do know Multichoice, MTN and Vodacom grew to be the giants they are by poaching staff from Telkom which spent lots of money training people, ANC blunders aside, why do we have companies making billions in revenue not investing more in upskilling young people and just waiting to pick and choose from trainees from the SOEs?

 

[rh1]

But it was a bad attitude, I do know Multichoice, MTN and Vodacom grew to be the giants they are by poaching staff from Telkom which spent lots of money training people, ANC blunders aside, why do we have companies making billions in revenue not investing more in upskilling young people and just waiting to pick and choose from trainees from the SOEs?

I hear you. But, we as South Africans have a shortage of skills. This was common in the 90s, 2000's. 2010's etc. The structures were in place. Companies don't like spending money and they would only train the employees they need. If we had leverage these as training organisations back in the day, we could have had trained, qualified artisan/technicians who could have started their own businesses in their communities. I remember trying to find a qualified plumber (many claimed to have the skills but not one registered) or electrician (finally found one) in the township I lived.

 

[Major Boredom]

Eskom have increased head count unlike Eskom. And Telkom were an employment agency back in those good old days. When competition came aknocking the realities of capital markets hit them they had to rationalise and keep going as they downscaled.

Eskom and Telkom both had intakes for training back in the good old days. Eskom was just not as advertised.
Eskom may have increased headcount, but it is not the same as what used to be done. I would not be surprised going forward that the headcount numbers reflect what Telkom went through.

 

[Major Boredom]

But it was a bad attitude, I do know Multichoice, MTN and Vodacom grew to be the giants they are by poaching staff from Telkom which spent lots of money training people, ANC blunders aside, why do we have companies making billions in revenue not investing more in upskilling young people and just waiting to pick and choose from trainees from the SOEs?

It is what those programs were designed for. To train engineers for the bigger South African context.

Yes, I know a lot of Engineers ended up in those companies when they were formed. Telkom trained engineers where highly sought after in the industry. My understanding is that today the training being done at that level is a fraction of what it used to be.

 

[TheChamp]

Yes, I know a lot of Engineers ended up in those companies when they were formed. Telkom trained engineers where highly sought after in the industry. My understanding is that today the training being done at that level is a fraction of what it used to be.

Did they ever train engineers? Maybe the definition of the word was very loose back then. I was under the impression that their people were at the level of artisans at most.

 

[AlphaJohn]

It is what those programs were designed for. To train engineers for the bigger South African context.

Yes, I know a lot of Engineers ended up in those companies when they were formed. Telkom trained engineers where highly sought after in the industry. My understanding is that today the training being done at that level is a fraction of what it used to be.

Back in the early 90's that was one of the options for school leavers.
Uni for a Degree
Tech for Diploma
Telkom/Eskom/Transnet/Yskor for a trade.

 

[AlphaJohn]

Did they ever train engineers? Maybe the definition of the word was very loose back then. I was under the impression that their people were at the level of artisans at most.

2+ trades and you had the option to go for Engineer and company paid.

 

[TheChamp]

2+ trades and you had the option to go for Engineer and company paid.

How did you go for Engineer?

 

[Major Boredom]

Did they ever train engineers? Maybe the definition of the word was very loose back then. I was under the impression that their people were at the level of artisans at most.

Depending on the results of your A and B courses you were put onto :
National Diploma / Technikon or University courses
Also if you got 2 trades as said above they would also pay for university

Today the term is even more loose than it was then. Kids working in IT without any courses to their names call themselves engineers.
In those days I found people with Diploma's etc were better at the actually work. Degrees tended to go into more management roles.
After 10+ years of experience the difference was'nt really noticeable

 

[AlphaJohn]

How did you go for Engineer?

Uni.

Got my IT Diploma thanx to said program but via Military
Working full days + running classes @ night was the worse 3 years of my life

 

[Major Boredom]

Back in the early 90's that was one of the options for school leavers.
Uni for a Degree
Tech for Diploma
Telkom/Eskom/Transnet/Yskor for a trade.

I do have to say that in those days Univ or even Technikon was not an option for most kids. Families did not have the money.
Compared to the number of school leavers, the number of available positions was very low.
Your marks also had to be very high with the right subject choices.

 

[AlphaJohn]

I do have to say that in those days Univ or even Technikon was not an option for most kids. Families did not have the money.
Compared to the number of school leavers, the number of available positions was very low.
Your marks also had to be very high with the right subject choices.

True, I remember failing Uni entry even with 4 distinctions due to lack of language skills. (Afrikaans & English was in standard grade) <--- damn dyslexia

but we had options, like above mentioned trade programs there was also the Police/Hospital/Ambulance/Fire department and military that acted as safety nets. With the latter being next to none functional now in SA its no wonder we have a skill shortage.

Edit: Forgot to mention Roadworks and other gov departments that also had starting positions.

 

[Major Boredom]

Edit: Forgot to mention Roadworks and other gov departments that also had starting positions.

Very True

Most avenues of Gov provided streams for Training at various levels. Today they provide very little to none.

 

[Ancalagon]

I wonder if this is what Eskom wants? Maybe they want employees to resign so that they don't have to retrench them?

We all know that Eskom is a bloated mess with too many people drawing high salaries and not doing any useful work. Maybe Eskom wants them all to resign so that they can right the ship?

Notice that nobody is saying anything about trying to retain staff.

We live in hope. I do feel sorry for those individuals who would actually like to work for Eskom, but have to resign because it is a terrible place to work.

 

[Major Boredom]

We all know that Eskom is a bloated mess with too many people drawing high salaries and not doing any useful work. Maybe Eskom wants them all to resign so that they can right the ship?

Notice that nobody is saying anything about trying to retain staff.

You could be right imo

When I 1st started and I went the Post Office/Telkom route, gov salaries were probably half of what was available in the private sector.
It basically motivated you to do your training, finish your payback period and then move into the private sector and make space for more training to be done.

Gov salaries now are far above the private sector, so there is no incentive to move on....

 

[AlphaJohn]

Very True

Most avenues of Gov provided streams for Training at various levels. Today they provide very little to none.

Wonder how many of the starting positions are frozen due to people not upskilling. ie: working as a simple clerk/cashier for 5+ years.

I see it in the private sector where people enter work as a simple welder and stay for 8 years with no drive to skill up or improve oneself but sure as hell toy toy when there is no increase.

 

[Corelli]

Exodus of engineers at Eskom

Eskom engineers and technical staff are leaving the power utility because of affirmative action, a lack of career prospects, cadre deployment, nepotism, and a toxic work environment.

This is according to an article in Rapport, which highlighted problems in retaining skilled technical employees at Eskom.

Wait in 2000 a lot of Engineers was let go, or around that time.

Honestly lately some of them are really terrible.

So are it the good engineers or bad engineers leaving?

Because if its those guys thats part of the group that chuck rocks instead of coal. Go by all means.

 

[RonSwanson]

Wait in 2000 a lot of Engineers was let go, or around that time.

Honestly lately some of them are really terrible.

So are it the good engineers or bad engineers leaving?

Because if its those guys thats part of the group that chuck rocks instead of coal. Go by all means.

I knew a very senior engineer who left Eskom in 2001, he was extremely unhappy, and his prognosis was not good for Eskom. He was probably in his late fifties at the time.

 

[6spdmanual]

This thread is missing only one ingredient to make it epic..., @Cosmik Debris

Lol I miss this guy and his takes. Where the hell is he?

 

[JuliusSeizure]

Lol I miss this guy and his takes. Where the hell is he?

He was pretty openly racist and often broke forum rules so maybe left after being banned from certain threads?