The Phatshoane Henney Training Academy, a joint venture project with accredited training provider LFP Group Holdings, was established in 2014 as part of the Phatshoane Henney Group of Associated Law Firms’ commitment to socio-economic and skills development. The academy utilizes funding provided from firms in the Phatshoane Henney Group and their clients to fund formal accredited learnership programmes for black disabled learners – and so help address dire skills shortages within our country, and in particular amongst disabled persons.
The Phatshoane Henney Training Academy has been highly successful with over a 100 disabled learners being enrolled for formal learnerships since its establishment in 2014, with the first 34 learners graduating and receiving their certificates on 2 October 2015.
John Mophethe, Director at Phatshoane Henney Attorneys, in congratulating all the graduandi at the ceremony quoted the late President Nelson Mandela who said “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” and asked of the learners to remember this when they ventured into the job market – and that they should see this qualification as the weapon to change their own lives and that of their community for the better.
The Phatshoane Henney Training Academy has focused on training learners in business administrative services programmes. “By completing these programmes the learners are equipped with an in-demand accredited qualification on their CVs, allowing them to confidently apply for a competitive position in the workplace,” explains Louis Pulzone, CEO of LFP Group Holdings. “As learners funded through the Phatshoane Henney Training Academy suffer from various forms of physical disability, we have focused our programmes to be specifically geared towards disabled persons, with the aim of enabling said learners to successfully compete in the job market. We also help these learners to partake successfully in our programmes by including travel support, wheelchairs, on-site medical support and more to help limit the physical challenges these learners often face in completing these programmes. As a further value-add we have developed strong relationships with industry partners to recruit and appoint learners completing our programmes, and have had great success with such placements.”
One such graduate, Veronica Ben, expressed her joy and gratitude for having been enrolled in the academy’s learnership programme. “I cannot explain to you what this day means to me, as it is my very first graduation. My doctor even told me that he can already see a big difference in me – and that’s not because of my medication!”
Douglas Henney, Director and Chair of the Phatshoane Henney Group of Associated Law Firms, also added that “on behalf of the Training Academy we thank each and every firm and client that helped to make this first graduation possible and express the sincere hope that we can continue to count on your support to take this wonderful initiative forward and contribute to the betterment of our country.”
