Already, 83 women truck drivers in Gauteng have completed the Women Inspiring Women to Lead in Transport (WIWIT) initiative, aimed at addressing a massive gender imbalance in the transport and logistics industry. Now WIWIT is coming to Cape Town.
WIWIT, spearheaded by the Commercial Transport Academy, a driver training organisation, aims to empower women and transform the trucking and logistics industry, one of the sectors with the least female representation in South Africa.
Hollard Trucking is a major sponsor of WIWIT, alongside such brands as USAID and Volvo Trucks.
The programme allows female truckers to go through a four-month driver development programme to help them obtain their learner’s licence. They also attend 15 driving lessons before taking their driver’s test (they have two opportunities to pass). Once they obtain their commercial driver’s licence and public driving permit, they complete their theoretical training and work with CTA’s driver trainers to boost their confidence and skills.
Additionally, trainees complete four soft-skills programmes on personal budgeting, gender-based violence awareness, HIV and AIDS, and harassment in the workplace.
“This initiative is truly close to our hearts as it seeks to bring gender diversity to the trucking and logistics industry. Women are largely underrepresented in the industry. In fact, statistics show that women only account for around 1.2% of the total working driver population in South Africa. Thus, we all need to get involved and ensure that we transform the industry,” says Nash Omar, Managing Director: Broker Markets for Hollard Insure.
“Our partnership with the Commercial Transport Academy signifies our commitment to transforming the sector, as well as to our business purpose of creating and securing better futures for more people in everything we do.
“Truck drivers are our heroes: our Hollard Highway Heroes. With women accounting for such a small proportion of the total working driver population, this should be a wake-up call for all of us to do more to increase representation,” he adds, referring to Hollard Trucking’s annual competition for truck drivers.
Hollard Trucking’s involvement in the WIWIT initiative includes supporting various initiatives: sponsoring a Hollard-branded trailer for use in driver training, online learning, mentoring of trainees by Hollard Trucking personnel, and using its Risk Services Bureau to help the trainees gain industry experience. Additionally, training centres were provided with 20 laptops, access to Hollard’s Learnovate learning platform, 10 PC screens and 10 chairs.
The launch of the WIWIT initiative took place this month, targeting women from the Atlantis, Dunoon, Philadelphia and other areas surrounding Cape Town.
At least 150 women are scheduled to be trained through WIWIT, and potential participants are encouraged to apply to join the initiative. To do so, visit the website: women-trucking-in-africa or email [email protected].
“Our role is to facilitate the upliftment and empowerment of women in the industry, and it is heartwarming to see all of us coming together to make this a reality. We look forward to seeing women from across the country on the roads, driving with pride,” concludes Omar.
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