THE Beier Group, South African manufacturers of technical textiles and personal protective equipment, hosted Fibre Processing and Manufacturing (FP&M) Seta CEO Dr Felleng Yende and the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, for an oversight visit to ensure that state funds are being dispersed in accordance with the sectoral skills plan.
The Beier Group showcased the significant progress the group has made in training, development, and transformation. During the visit, the minister gained insight into the strong partnership between the Beier Group and the FP&M Seta.
Learners, apprentices, and bursary recipients directly engaged with the deputy minister, sharing their personal stories about how the Beier Group’s commitment to upskilling individuals has positively impacted their lives. The minister embarked on a factory tour, observing local production of the company’s products, ranging from the BBF Safety Group plant, which produces head-to-toe Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), to Beier Drawtex, which produces wound care dressings, and Beier Envirotec, a business that produces technical textiles and filtration products. All Beier Group products are designed to help protect and improve quality of life.
Says Warren Sachs, Group CEO at Beier Group, “Our various technical operating plants are actively run by leaders who mostly have been impacted by the support and programs that are offered at the Hans Beier Centre for Learning, in partnership with Skills Development Partners. Moreover, the support and guidance from the FP&M SETA on sector skills planning and execution, has enabled the Beier Group to continue delivering on industrialisation, transformation, and development.”
Key discussion points going into the future of sustainable skills development, centred around the development and maintenance of comprehensive and integrated skills pipelines, the importance of addressing scarce skills and sectoral needs through targeted training in high-demand areas like manufacturing, textiles, and engineering. Practical industry exposure focusing on industry involvement to ensure hands-on experience for learners (for example, factory visits, apprenticeships, work-based exposure programs).
Furthermore, a concerted focus on community impact leveraging networks and various associations to generate innovative ideas, fostering the creation of opportunities that empower individuals, strengthen local economies, and cultivate a sense of ownership and pride within the community, in the resolution of socio-economic challenges.
Underpinning this, is sustainability and collaborative partnerships on skills development between Industry and the Seta, which will enable long-term socio-economic empowerment, driven through fit-for-purpose education and skills development programs that seek to build resilience and adaptability to thrive in an ever-changing economic landscape.
Sachs adds, “The alignment of priorities between the social partners – Department of Higher Education, their sectoral partners, particularly that of the FP&M Seta and that of the Beier Group epitomises the notion that we truly are “Better Together”. Together, we’re not just building careers – we’re transforming lives, shaping industries, and forging a brighter future for South Africa.”
