We love a good success story, especially when it’s one that we’ve been privileged to be a part of. Stories like these bring us back to our reason for being in business – to elevate people from all walks of life and equip them with opportunities to reach their dreams through skills development and training.
One such story is that of an ambitious and determined 23-year-old chef named Cecilia Setlhalogile. Since completing the assistant chef course offered through the Anglo American Zimele Hospitality Skills Programme, she has gone from strength to strength in her culinary career.
We want to share her inspiring story with you…
Meet Cecilia Setlhalogile
Cecilia knows exactly what she wants out of life. From a young age, she remembers always enjoying helping in the kitchen and often telling her mother that she would one day be a chef. She believes that food brings people together, and now as a qualified chef, she enjoys inviting her family over for a meal as often as she can when she’s not whipping up incredible dishes at work.
Cecilia’s Start at IHS
After Cecilia completed her matric in 2017, she registered for the International Hotel School’s (IHS) Diploma in Hospitality Management course, which introduced her to the exciting world of hospitality. Unfortunately, her journey did not go as planned, and she had to drop out of the course.
Like all success stories, this was merely a roadblock, and Cecilia’s story did not end there. “Due to financial challenges at home, I dropped out during my final exams, but I’m currently [April 2023] working on the last three modules of my qualification through distance learning,” she says.
Cecilia Joins the Anglo American Zimele Hospitality Skills Programme
Cecilia did not let this setback get her down. In fact, she decided to join the Anglo American Zimele Hospitality Skills Programme at the Rustenburg Process Operations Zimele hub in 2022. The skills programme operates in partnership with Reach Summit and is designed to upskill young people to improve their chances of accessing work opportunities in their sectors. As part of the programme, learners must undertake work-integrated learning during their training period. Thereafter they get assistance in finding employment after their studies.
Through the Zimele Hospitality Skills Programme, Cecilia was offered her first job as an assistant chef at Lily Park Lodge. She is currently set to start a new journey as a chef at Baóba Tree Café and Grill in Rustenburg. She is very excited about the road ahead.
Onward and Upward
“I feel privileged to be able to work in the town where I grew up,” says Cecilia, “Most of my peers have ventured out of town to gain decent work opportunities. I’m very appreciative of Zimele’s hospitality skills programme because I now specialise in something that I love, which is cooking delicious meals and serving people.”
She explains how the Zimele Hospitality Skills Programme has broadened her horizons. “I joined the programme because I wanted to learn more about the culinary part of hospitality. My training experience was filled with industry knowledge. Lasting memories were definitely made. I would advise anyone who wants to work in the hospitality industry to join the programme. The programme gives participants exposure to the industry.”
More About Summit’s Turnkey Youth Development Solutions
Anglo American Zimele Skills Programme
‘Zimele’ means to be independent and stand on one’s own two feet.
The Zimele Hospitality Skills Programme forms part of Anglo American Zimele’s Youth Development Programme. The Zimele Hospitality Skills Programme is all about fostering independence and creating sustainability in business. It is focused on building sustainable livelihoods in Anglo American’s host communities and strengthening relationships to create synergies within Anglo American and their broader mining industry partners.
The programme helps to create something sustainable for the people living in and around our mining communities. It is there to support them in growing their businesses and includes accredited skills programmes for training as an assistant chef or a table attendant or in housekeeping or cooking convenience.
YouthLink
To enhance gainful employment in South Africa, Summit has launched YouthLink, an innovative online platform that facilitates job placements. YouthLink is a two-fold platform designed to serve both learners and Placement Partners. Placement Partners are businesses that host learners during their Work Integrated Learning program, providing them with the necessary work experience to enhance their education and prepare them for the job market.
YouthLink places learners in a suitable work setting to acquire practical experience and accumulate hours to add to their resume. This presents an excellent chance for Placement Partners to benefit from the extra resources available. Furthermore, it serves as an effective “working-interview-model” to identify promising candidates who could be offered relevant positions, leading to retention bonus points.
Partner With Summit for a Positive Impact on Your Community and Business
Summit’s turnkey youth development solutions can help you to make a positive impact on your community while benefitting your business at the same time. Our success stories, like that of Cecilia Setlhalogile, show the power of skills development and training to transform lives and businesses. If you’re ready to find the right talent for your organisation and streamline your job placement process, contact Summit today.