ONLINE LEARNING WILL ENSURE SUCCESSFUL GROWTH OF LOCAL INDUSTRY
Sassda has announced the start of its digital curriculum with the first fully online Fundamentals of Stainless training course having launched this month. The course is aimed at bridging the industry skills gap through a paperless and powerful online tool to fast track students towards an accredited and transformed future.
The course will consist of a complete digital curriculum training module which will enable Sassda to bridge the industry skills gap and fast track students towards a more efficient economy at scale.
Tackling education, training and skills upgrading head-on, Sassda’s accredited digital training courses promise a paperless and powerful tool to transform students into future leaders.
The Fundamentals of Stainless Steel online class will take the form of presentations which have been revised and made relevant to the new online classroom environment. Students will receive study material in a digital format with modules presented over five parts of approximately an hour each which will be presented as a single module per day. The course is completed by a final online examination.
Using virtual models and simulations, teachers will now be able to communicate material which may have previously been out of reach to students. Video conferencing and social platforms will allow students to communicate with others as well.
Any industry which aims to become competitive, both locally and in world markets, must have both the will and the means to ensure that its personnel, at all levels, are educated in every aspect of their job.
One of Sassda's aims is to ensure that the facility for this exists and the Association has, therefore, developed this comprehensive online training education faculty which covers the fundamentals for the local industry.
Sassda continues to work closely with targeted universities and universities of technology departments to increase awareness of stainless steel as a material of choice. Sassda also works closely with professional institutions or associations targeted at professionals to increase their knowledge of stainless steel, its properties, applications etc, through approved CPD workshops.
The course will include the basic advantages and classifications of stainless steel. Identify the main classifications of stainless steel as well as the basic grades, compositions, properties and uses of each.
Students completing the course will know the difference between type, form and finish of stainless steel and be familiar with the SA primary producer manufacturing process. They will understand the difference between flat & long products, castings and tube & pipe, be able to identify the different types of stainless steel contamination, be familiar with the process of the restoration of the passive layer and understand how to clean, store and maintain stainless steel.
Once online learners have completed the digital course, they will receive a certificate of completion. The first Sassda Fundamentals online course commenced on 10 November 2020. Look out on Sassda’s social media channels and website for the further information.
SASSDA BOOSTS BENEFITS TO MEMBERS WITH ADDED-VALUE MEMBERSHIP TIERS
As one of the most active stainless steel industry associations in the world, Sassda has been intrinsically involved in increasing the awareness and use of stainless steel in Southern Africa since its inception in 1964.
Practised at adapting to existing market influences over the associations lifetime, Sassda has once again tackled industry disruption brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic by adding value to its new and existing members through a tiered membership structure which streamlines and targets their pursuit of promoting the sustainable growth and development of the industry; with the main emphasis on stainless steel converted within the South African economy.
Now offering a comprehensive list of services to its wide-ranging member base, including technical information and advice, education, training and skills upgrading, a range of publications and marketing, and industry and business development support, Sassda’s new tiered membership structure will allow its members to choose from a bouquet of benefits according to their industry focus and manufacturing needs.
As the only local association that has all its services and products in easy-to-deliver packaging available online, Sassda has placed the power in its member’s hands, allowing each member organisation to be in control of maximising the value and delivery of services according to their membership structure.
In the past, Sassda’s value to members was service-based according to member requirements. The new structure leads the association into the new future with a ‘user pays’ principle according to a basket of defined value-adding items on the table.
Sassda Acting Executive Director Michel Basson comments; “Our members now know exactly what the full value of membership entails, and they can take advantage of the value at any time. They can now even customise their basket of services to add maximum value,”
“In line with our goal of pioneering a new approach to stainless steel in South Africa, we are pleased with having identified a range of potential projects for the ‘new look Sassda’ to deliver enhanced returns on member investment.”
Comprising a set of competitive membership packages, which are based on cost and inherent added-value, each package is tailor-made for the size of members’ operations, as well as the number of employees within an operation specifically assigned to the production of stainless steel. Among these developments is the conversion of Sassda’s existing Fundamentals course to an electronic-learning course to increase accessibility.
The new model puts the power back in the members' hands across a range of proven technical support and advice, world-class training, marketing for your business, solid sales leads, effective lobbying and export promotion and increased influence and networking opportunities where members will at all times be in control of maximising the value of membership.
“Whilst our website is packed with information that covers all aspects of our industry, there will be areas on the site only accessible to members. In the Members Only zone there will be information and products only available to Sassda members, including documents, statistics as well as member-specific products such as the Information Series,” confirms Basson.
As an added benefit, the Sassda COVID-19 33.3% membership discount makes it possible for all current members to keep membership through the challenges posed by the economic effects of the virus. This discount is only applicable to members for the duration of the 2020 financial year.
Membership of the Association is open to both National and Sub-Saharan Africa companies and individuals in good standing involved in the production, distribution, fabrication, conversion and use of stainless steel.
UNITING BUSINESS INTERESTS IN AFRICA
The South African United Business Confederation (SAUBC) was established in 2018, following the election of the new President of the Republic of South Africa, and his support of the Thuma Mina principle of improved service delivery for the reconstruction and recovery of the South African economy.
SAUBC’s co-founders and first President is George Sebulela, the former Chairman and Secretary General of the Black Business Confederation (BBC), President of African Entrepreneurs Confederation (AEC), and President of Oil & Gas Business Confederation (AOGBC).
SAUBC is a non-profit and non-racial business and economic federation that represents cross-cutting business interests in South Africa. SAUBC consists of members representing Export Councils, Industry Associations and Joint Action Group, and currently encompasses 55 member organisations.
The Vision of SAUBC as a comprehensive Business and Economic Federation is to make the Republic of South Africa and Africa, the preferred investment destination in the world.
At its launch, SAUBC President George Sebulela said; ”the SAUBC is the answer to the need for a strong pan-African, industrial and export-focused business body that will lead South Africa’s industrial resurgence, unlock the huge agricultural potential, optimise the international value chains and embrace the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
In line with and in support of this statement Sassda became a member of SAUBC in 2019.
