As part of Exxaro’s strategic sustainable impact initiatives, the company has announced a new partnership with blended learning platform provider, aNewSpring. This venture will prioritise learning and development of our workforce and the communities in which it operates by implementing a learning management solution. The solution aims to help with internal and external talent development and compliance training.

According to Vanisha Balgobind, Exxaro's Executive Head of HR, the partnership is going to make a big difference in the lives of stakeholders. “One of our main goals has always been to improve the lives of the people living in our host communities. For this reason, we will always look to innovation to better lives, be this through building and improving infrastructure, creating job opportunities, supporting local municipalities or upskilling community members and supporting small businesses.”

Learning content from aNewSpring is going to be used to pilot the Exxaro Powering Knowledge platform - a community-focused learning platform which will support Exxaro’s community reskilling and upskilling initiatives.

Balgobind explained: “Exxaro is committed to working with local businesses so that they can flourish, create jobs, and grow the economy. Powering Knowledge specifically will assist the ESD programme in supporting small businesses while deriving shared value for a wide range of stakeholders, including the company’s employees, communities, customers, original equipment manufacturers and shareholders.”

On 30 November 2020, the pilot programme was made available to 50 SMMEs from the Belfast and Lephalale communities using the aNewSpring digital platform. Businesses that access the portal will be provided with online learning solutions – allowing Exxaro to support more businesses than it would compare to face-to-face training. The digital platform also allows participants to work through the material at their own pace.

“Our intention with this pilot is to collaborate with the Small Business Development Agency (SEDA) to develop e-learning content that can be used on the final Powering Knowledge platform. From there we will be able to adjust the learning journeys and apply best practice learning techniques to further facilitate skills development,” Balgobind concluded. “We will continue to embrace and enable our people through technology by creating learning opportunities for those beyond only our employees.”