Basil Mthembu, 32, took a leap of faith by leaving his position as a store clerk at Phalanndwa Colliery to pursue an electrical engineering learnership offered by Canyon Coal almost three years ago. His peers and colleagues thought leaving a secure job was a huge mistake but, in the end, things fell into place. At the time, Basil had a keen interest in becoming an electrician and had already completed some short courses in the field. He understood that to advance he needed to gain more experience.

“I created an opportunity for myself by asking to assist the electrician at the siding during my off days,” he explains. He obtained approval from management to assist during his spare time. Instead of relaxing at home, Basil reported to the Ritkuil and Kendal siding to assist the electrician on site on his days off. In 2020, he enrolled in Canyon Coal's learnership programme and successfully obtained his electrical trade tester qualification. After completing the programme, he was appointed as an electrician. Basil intends to pursue a Government Certificate of Competency (GCC) from the Department of Minerals Resources and Energy. "Since joining Canyon Coal, I have developed significantly, and I am excited to continue growing while I am still with the company."