South Africa’s Fresh Produce Exporters Forum believes in the potential of the fruit industry in bringing positive change to society. It has realised that change needs a helping hand, and for that reason FPEF launched their graduate placement programme in 2016 to provide talented graduates with employment opportunities at participating companies in commercial, logistics and postharvest quality management positions.
Over the past eight years, sixty-eight graduates have found employment in this way. For the first twelve months of the placement, FPEF contributes to the salary component. On 12 October these young professionals were celebrated at an event hosted by Fruitworks, where they had the opportunity to network with each other and colleagues in the wider industry.
“It opened my eyes to vast opportunities in fruit”
“The Fresh Produce Exporters Forum has been a game-changer in my life. It has given me the opportunity to learn and grow in this industry,” observes Mpho Malebati, now working as a quality controller at Cape Five Fruit Export in Somerset West. She says that her work experience now forms the basis of a Masters study on fruit quality challenges, a topic that she has become passionate about.
The CEO of Cape Five exports and former chair of the FPEF Wayne Mudge remarks that the industry should look wider in sourcing talent, especially from the ranks of those not part of the traditional networks.
Tumelo Thulari, a logistics co-ordinator at Stellenbosch-based C-Fruit says he can’t emphasise enough how transformative and beneficial this experience had been for his career.
“This programme not only provided me with invaluable skills and knowledge but also opened my eyes to the vast potential within the fresh produce export industry,” the BCom graduate in agribusiness management notes, encouraging more fresh exporters to participate in similar internship programmes and to hire more graduates from a wider pool.
Festive atmosphere as FPEF interns celebrate their success
“We’re a better company for being part of the programme”
Eon Smit, commercial manager at Fruitworks, testifies to the value of the programme: “Getting young blood from different cultural backgrounds into our business affected our business in a great way.”
Fruitworks’ board chairperson John Wolfaart says that they are a better company today for being part of the FPEF graduate placement programme. “Young, well-equipped, upbeat individuals, just waiting for an opportunity to excel. It’s absolutely essential for the future of the industry. In the end, the company is enriched by it and we’re investing in the new generation – it’s a no-brainer.”
Sibongile Maluleke, working in operations and finances at Fruitworks, concurs. “The fruit industry is not an easy industry to tap into. FPEF gave me that door opening to enter an industry that I wanted to enter.”
Fresh Produce Exporters Forum (FPEF) is a voluntary member organisation which serves the fresh produce exporters of South Africa and associated service providers.
Johannes Brand is transformation manager at FPEF and he runs the organisation’s graduate placement programme. “The atmosphere at the lunch was festive, and the air filled with conversation, laughter and music provided by a Karoo jazz band from the Prince Albert Community Trust, supported by Fruitworks.”
He invites FPEF members to become part of the programme, which is open to tertiary graduates of all study fields. Registration is done via the Agrijob jobs portal: www.agrijob.co.za.
For more information:
Johannes Brand
Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum
Tel: +27 71 688 1888
Email: [email protected]
https://www.fpef.co.za