Dec 03, 2021 Dekra Institute of Learning, Christopher Mörsner, Willem van Niekerk, Johan Gerber
Dekra Institute of Learning
As part of a rapid growth strategy in providing a comprehensive training services offering, and with the vision of becoming among the top five industry training providers in South Africa, the Dekra Institute of Learning (IOL) and Willco Safety and Training (Willco) have entered into a distinctive partnership to broaden their industry training service offering.
“This partnership will provide complementary and reciprocal synergies for both the Dekra Institute of Learning and Willco Safety and Training, as we are able to cater to a greater range of industries with a single-source, yet comprehensive service offering and an outstanding selection of courses supported by significant industry expertise,” says Christopher Mörsner, Head of the Training Division at DEKRA Industrial’s Institute of Learning.
“Moreover, this strategic value exchange – supported by Dekra IOL’s Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) and Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) accreditations - and Willco Training’s Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) accreditation – will see the empowerment of learners receiving the best tangible practical and online training in machinery operations; as well as safety, health, and environmental management from two professionally-accredited training institutions,” he asserts.
Additionally, as a registered Lifting Machine Entity (LME), Dekra Industrial can provide registered Lifting Machine Inspectors (LMIs) in various approved categories, to conduct comprehensive inspection and load testing services to accredited sectors in the lifting and rigging industry. The addition of the lifting inspection division broadens the company’s offering even further, completing its offering as a holistic, ‘one-stop’ services provider of NDT inspection, corrosion control with rope access and drone inspection.
“Our LME registration and lifting inspection service also synergise well with Willco’s machinery operator training offering,” comments Mörsner.
“Furthermore, Willco Founder and Co-director Willem van Niekerk’s wealth of experience, spanning more than 20 years in mining, construction and operator training and safety management, and his qualifications as an accredited course facilitator and assessor bring a unique flair – and additional benefit – to our common target markets such as mining, transport, marine/fisheries, and the nuclear power sector,” he explains. Founded in Mpumalanga in 2016, Willco Safety and Training provides health and safety- related, as well as machine-operator training across the trackless mining and heavy transport industries that meet the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) requirements.
“Sharing of Willco’s knowledge and experience in these sectors with others not only allows the company to grow in acquiring new skills, but opens new doors for market opportunities - complementing Dekra IOL’s growth in new industries, and thereby ensuring mutual growth,” says van Niekerk.
Taking the pan-African growth opportunities into account, Dekra Industrial Managing Director Johan Gerber believes that “with successful projects in Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dekra Industrial has a strong drive in advancing our pan-African services, which will include a fundamental focus on training.” Further recognising the mutual synergies of this strong partnership, Gerber suggests that both Dekra IOL and Willco can confidently ensure a positive ‘ripple effect’ in partnering with other similar service providers.
“Through organic and sustainable growth, paired with Willco’s industry experience, training and service provision – and matched with our own health and safety training capabilities – we can ultimately create a massive difference: not only in empowering learners with accredited skills, but in raising an awareness around and innovative approach towards safety,” Mörsner concludes.
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