Back to school!

No one escapes ECOSERV's policy of continual skills upliftment

At any time of the year, a whopping 50% of staff at ECOSERV are on courses or are engaged in formal education.

“We try to encourage our staff to continually uplift their skills,” says ECOSERV MD Quentin Hurt. “We spend about 5% of our payroll on studies and skills development.”

And no one slips under the radar – not even the ‘tea lady'. Which is why, at the respectable age of 53, ECOSERV's beloved Rose Xaba decided to go back to school to gain her matric pass.

Rose passed four subjects from Phindangene State Adult Education Centre last year – English, Zulu, Natural Sciences, and Human and Social Sciences. This year she re-enrolled with four more subjects: Maths Literacy, Small, Medium and Micro Entrepreneurship, Travel and Tourism, and Housecare. And if she passes, she'll qualify for her matric at the end of this year.

“As part of the skills development initiative, SETA announced funding for learnerships specifically for people to complete their schooling,” says Quentin. “We had two members of staff who hadn't completed their matric. Rose was one that wanted to pursue it."

“Her case is a bit different from other staff, but we fully supported her desire to improve her training. What makes this exciting is Rose's age and her willingness to take on the challenge. I am in awe that she has done so well so far and is seeing it through to the end.”

Rose left school in 1979. “I never matriculated because my parents didn't have money and I needed to start working,” says Rose. “I go to classes three times a week in the evenings and am very happy to be back at school – I am also very happy that I passed four of my subjects last year. Ecoserv has been very good to me.”

Rose is entitled to all the standard study leave and support that is provided to staff who are studying. “Her success however is due less to the company's input than her own hard work,” says Quentin. “She left work a bit early each day and was able to draw on people's knowledge in the office during the day but she worked mostly at night.”

Rose's efforts will not go unrewarded. Already her job description and pay has been upgraded. “Rose has started buying office requisites via internet shopping. Now we want her to get more involved in other aspects of office administration. She is moving from a cleaning position to provisioning, catering and filing. She will see the benefits of study in the workplace – apart from the clear personal satisfaction she derives from passing. You realize that this really is a great country to be working and living in when you work with inspirational people like Rose.”

Rose's success is a model of the great things that can be achieved when a government initiative, a receptive business and an eager mind combine.