The website, which is available in French, Portuguese and English, is leveraging Caterpillar's existing, e-learning solutions.
"This is just one of the ways that we're looking to boost the skills in the industry as a whole. There is a vital need for skilled labour across these sectors in Africa. We are proud to see the launch of this initiative," said David Picard, region manager, responsible for Caterpillar's distribution in Africa.
The access to the basic Caterpillar Technician curriculum is free. Those who register for the curriculum will have the opportunity to upgrade their knowledge and upon successful completion of the curriculum, will earn a certificate of completion.
"Many school-leavers are unable to enter the job market because they have not received enough technical knowledge when they leave school. In schools, the latest technical information isn't always available," explained Maurice Manders, Caterpillar's learning and development manager and team leader of the e-learning project. "Offering an Internet-based basic learning curriculum that is available to schools and students is an efficient solution to this challenge."
The new, free e-learning curriculum, which contains 18 modules of easy-to-understand, technical insights about safety and basic fundamental systems such as electrical, hydraulics and powertrain, complements the paid-for e-learning platforms that are available to Caterpillar's dealers and customers. Paying customers get access to a wider range of e-learning and more functionality of the learning management system.
For more information, go to https://techniciansforafrica.caterpillaruniversity.com/.
