Employment measures for the Pauwes cohort

PAUWES offers a two-year Master of Science programme in Water and Energy, as one of the specialized units of the Pan African University, with the possibility of choosing between the tracks of engineering or policy. In September 2016, the first cohort of 26 students graduated from PAUWES with master’s degrees in water and Energy Engineering from the host institution of the University of Tlemcen in Algeria.

However, support from the project sponsors, the German Federal Ministry of Cooperation and Development, is contingent on a 70% employment rate for each cohort within nine months of graduation. As outputs for the PAUWES engagement, AltGen was retained to conduct a workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on job searching and acquisition, CV preparation, job matching, and online presence and subsequently provide job placement services matching the participants with the appropriate jobs, internships or trainee programs. The engagement is ongoing, with further input being provided into career services and curriculum development.

Work with the Pan African University of Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES) in Algeria and Ethiopia included:

  • FEB ‘19 – Curriculum Review Workshop, Tlemcen, Algeria
  • OCT ‘18 – Career Services Workshop, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • AUG ‘18 – Tracer Study, Remote
  • MAR ‘18 – Curriculum Review Workshop, Tlemcen, Algeria
  • MAR ‘18 – Employability Workshop, Remote
  • DEC ’17 – FEB ‘18 – Tracer Study, Remote
  • NOV ‘17 – Employ-ability Workshop, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Through these engagements, AltGen has built a deep understanding of working with students and faculty at the University level, especially in the institution’s development and now consolidation phase.

PAUWES Site Visit
VISIT GIZ WEBSITE
The Pan African University Institute for Water and Energy Sciences including Climate Change (PAUWES)
VISIT PAUWES WEBSITE
PAUWES Graduates of the 2016 Cohort.

Employment services

AltGen has provided the full scope of employment services for various company’s employees to enter into the South African and Kenyan markets.

Support Services included:

  • Recruitment and selection of the appropriate candidate
  • Compiling offer letters and applicable legal contracts
  • Claims and leave management
  • Payroll processing and reporting
  • 3rd party payments (relevant to in-country legislative regulations)
  • Applicable annual returns reporting
  • Generation of employee tax certificates and IT3 certificates
  • Performance management support
  • Handling of and supervisory support on disputes and CCMA cases
  • Handling the negotiations for the extension of contracts
  • Promotion monitoring and  career planning
  • Reporting on employees’ ED hours
  • Exit interviews and on-boarding processes
“AltGen provided us with exemplary service. They took the time to familiarise themselves with our brief and as a result, reverted with a relevant, high quality candidate pool. Nelson, our appointed candidate, has seamlessly integrated into the Rubicon team. We’re happy to recommend AltGen as a recruitment partner who specialises in professionalism and care.”
Brian Hosking Commercial Director, Africa

Employment services for ZMW

On entering the South African market, Zero Mass Water (now rebranded to Source) required the services of AltGen to support their recruitment and employment needs with regards to finding a Business Development Manager and Technical Lead.

Support Services included:

  • Recruitment and selection of the appropriate candidate
  • Compiling offer letters and applicable legal contracts
  • Claims and leave management
  • Payroll processing and reporting
  • 3rd party payments (UIF, SDL, tax)
  • EMP501 annual returns
  • Generate IRP5 and IT3 certificates
  • Performance management support
  • Travel bookings/arrangements etc. and public liability insurance
VISIT ZMW WEBSITE

Greencape skills audit – Atlantis SEZ

The Terms of Reference for this project include establishing a baseline of skills that exist in the Atlantis “Green Tech” Special Economic Zone, an industrial area to the north of Cape Town. We needed to identify possible skills shortages and, where possible, quantify any skills gaps – all to direct focused investments into education in the relevant focal areas and ensure that the SEZ is as attractive as possible to potential Green Tech investors.

READ THE FULL REPORT
GreenCape-Atlantis-SEZ-Skills-Audit-Report
VISIT GREENCAPE WEBSITE

Community needs assessments Northern Cape

The REIPPPP uniquely incorporates fundamental socio-economic development objectives to which bidders of the programme are required to adhere to.

AltGen needed to conduct community needs assessments in 3 different district municipalities of the Northern Cape. We provided in-depth reports on the status of the beneficiary communities as well as highlighted potential opportunities for the client’s ED strategies that were unique to the territory. AltGen went into these communities as a neutral party with no affiliation to any entity or programme which allowed us to provide an unbiased depiction of the holistic community needs.

This project entailed that the AltGen Research Consultants spent hands-on time in the communities, understanding the nuances of how they operate and engaging with various stakeholders, from police to social workers, to educators right through to SME entrepreneurs, public servants and local community members. As objective bystanders – we needed to see how these communities operated as a whole, and where room for improvement lay open. The objective of this project was to acquire useful and real needs requirements/necessities of the communities from a generalised LSM scale, of those most in need.

Our goal was to provide unbiased – insight for impactful measures that would aid the potential communities while ensuring transparent communication with the potential benefactors. As a neutral party, our partners and networks in the industry have benefited from AltGen connecting key players with similar goals to one another.

At the end of the day, it’s all about making a difference – AltGen’s impact is through people. The networks we foster, the relationships we establish and the ideas we share. Every human being desterves the right to clean water, energy and education. At the end of the day, its us – PEOPLE. that create a SUSTAINABLE. future for us all.

Northern Cape Community Needs Assessment
Children's shoes are cleaned and left out to dry at an orphanage.
Youth-Disparity-in-the-Northern-Cape-Community-Needs
The Northern Cape tends to display an alarming disparity between youth versus aged.

Fully outsourced HR

AltGen carried out this project for a leading biogas plant developer and operator. It entailed the in-sourcing of management through to general labour.

The project owners withdrew from an unsuccessful operations and maintenance contract and took on the operational aspects of plant management. This entity has, over the years, established a name for itself, and to date – is probably one of the most recognised brands in biogas in Sub-Saharan Africa.

AltGen has remained involved in HR advisory and recruitment needs of the firm from project inception through to implementation, execution and operations.

This included:

  • All new conditions of employment,
  • Establishing job profiles
  • Formalising job descriptions
  • Handling employee relationship management and disciplinary procedures, and HR advisory.
  • In some cases, administrative functions may remain the responsibility of the client once new procedures and principles have been embedded. 

Sub-contracting

An international client that had recently established an office in Cape Town required AltGen’s support to facilitate the immediate employment of a Personal Assistant to the Director.

Support Services included:

  • Recruitment and selection of the appropriate candidate
  • Independent contractor contract establishment, and oversight of timekeeping (including guidance to the contractor on tax prerequisites and adherence)
  • On-boarding of the candidate, contract and relationship management
  • Timekeeping and payroll processes
  • Guidance and personal growth direction
  • Assistance with administrative duties 

This recruitment mandate required a comprehensive understanding of the personality dynamics, company culture and competency requirements of the suggested candidate (this was 2 of 3 candidates AltGen put forward for the mandate). Our premise is to offer a premium service, reducing our client’s time during hiring processes and generating an ROI.

Staff management & employment

AltGen took on the employment relationship of an IPP client’s community-based employee and handed over the employment relationship to the client once the employee was work-ready and able to move in HR position for their site-based work.

This is a common activity and request by a majority of our clients. 

AltGen is only interested in the extension and facilitation of renewable energy and sustainability projects, we do this through enabling employment and jobs.

Our clients who opt for our employment solutions are simply handed over the relationship when they are ready to establish themselves. 

Support Services included:

  • Recruitment and selection of the appropriate candidate
  • Compiling an offer letter and applicable legal contracts
  • Claims and leave management
  • Payroll processing and reporting
  • 3rd party payments (UIF, SDL, tax)
  • EMP501 annual returns
  • Generate IRP5 (or equivalent) and IT3 certificates
  • Performance management support
  • Reporting on employees’ ED hours
  • Daily staff management
landscape view of solar panels
Credit: Jasper Solar Power Plant, Northern Cape
Northern-Cape-Community-Members-of-the-Solar-Works-Programme
Solar Works Programme Community member, Northern Cape

Employment services in new markets

Our client was looking to enter the Kenyan market and create a sales pipeline in the territory but lacked an established entity in the country. AltGen employed a Business Developer on behalf of the client to assess the market and establish the market appetite for their services and products. 

Support Services included:

  • Recruitment and selection of the appropriate candidate
  • Compiling an offer letter and applicable legal contracts
  • Claims and leave management
  • Payroll processing and reporting
  • 3rd party payments (NSSF, NHIF, PAYE)
  • Performance management support

Solar O&M service provider SWP sewing PPE

AltGen provides Workplace Management Services to O&M clients and project owners’  for support on their solar projects based in the Northern Cape (a total capacity of over 110MW+).

On behalf of the client, we employed over 220 of their staff. AltGen’s project team are actively involved in the day-to-day activities of the workforce, ensuring our client’s workforce produces optimal outputs while adhering to expected procedures. We take care of the most challenging aspects of effective operations – people. The project team consists of an Operations Manager, General Manager and HR Administrator and 4+ support staff.

Our staff complement is split into two working groups. One is a project site-based team (general up to semi-skilled workers), and the other is community workers under AltGen’s “Solar Works Programme”. The programme provides services to the community as well as to the project itself. The goal of the programme is to upskill the local workforce. This enables them to learn entrepreneurial skills or provides them with an improved work ethic. This improves their opportunities for future employment.

Interested in learning more about the impact we have made in the Northern Cape? Watch our video!

WATCH THE SWP VIDEO