GREEN FUTURES Horticultural & Lifeskills College

2004/2005 PAST PUPILS

View our past profiles 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Each year as the students near graduation, jobs are posted on the Green Futures Notice Board. The students then put the various life skills in practice that they have learnt during the year and tailor make their C.V and cover letter on the computer to apply for the various jobs that they would be interested in. Interviews are then arranged and the employer makes the decision as to who they would like to employ.

Mziwekhaya Potwana ("Khaya") – Khaya is putting his practical landscaping knowledge to good use at Blue Gum Lodge near Stanford where he is involved in gardening and general maintenance of the estate.
Yanga Tshefu ("Yanga") – Having spent his weekends working at Super Plants in Hermanus while a student at Green Futures, Yanga is now employed full time assisting clients with sales, as well as caring and maintaining the plants in the Nursery.
Cameron Damon ("Cameron") – Cameron received a bursary from WWF's capacity building fund to undertake a years internship at Green Futures. During this time he will be assisting horticultural lecturer, Hilary Bosher with teaching and practicals as well as developing his managment skills on training courses and supervising landscaping projects.
Thembisile Sylvia Mbangeni ("Sylvia") – Sylvia is putting her lifeskills training to good effect working a an official undertaking cofer registration for elections.
Sakhele Bhadula ("Albert") – Alberts smiling face and natural charm is being put to good use as a Nature Guide at Grootbos Nature Reserve. He is responsible for leading local and international visitors on tours of the garden, Green Futures College, Nature Reserve and coast. From all reports Albert is doing a great job as an ambassodor for Green Futures.
Bulelwa Beauty Nodada ("Beauty") – While at Green Futures it became obvious that Beauty realy enjoys food. It was therefore no suprise to hear that she is employed as a chef at the Magic Moments Resturaunt in Stanford. We've tasted her pizza's and they are great!
Zakhele Mandoyi ("Bongo") – At time of writing Bongo is between jobs and looking to move to Cape Town to find work in indigenious landscaping.
Mzuvukile Likhewu ("Chico") – Chico is working at Mosaic Farm on the Klein River lagoon where he is responsible for all aspects of indigenious gardening and landscaping. Chico is busy being trained to lead visitors on garden and nature trails at Mosaic.
Sibusiso Moses Mehlo ("Moses") – Moses is emplyed at Palmiet Valley Estate - a five star wine and tourism estate near Paarl. There his tasks include garden maintenance, propogation, assisting with guests and general help in the tourism department.
René Beryl Plaatjies ("René") – Renee's love for plants and friendly nature landed her a job as nursery assistant at Build It Nursery in Gansbaai Industrial. There she is responsible for all aspects of care and sales of plants and is thoroughly enjoying the challenge.
Mphuthumi Alfred Mtobela ("Alfred")– One of the stars of the 2004/2005 intake, Alfred landed a great job as an apprentice to the General Manger at Garden Cities Landscaping and Nursery business in Durbanville. Alfred is putting his knowledge in propogation and waterwise landscpaing to good use as well as learning how to manage teams in the nursery and on landscaping projects.

2003/2004 PAST PUPILS & WHAT THEY ARE UP TO

Cikizwa (Florence) Plum – After giving birth to a daughter in November, Florence has returned to her job at Grootbos where she is employed in front of house and deals with guests on a daily basis. Here she often has opportunities to discuss what she has learnt at Green Futures with visitors from all over the world. She has fitted in very well with the front of house team and is enjoying her new challenges and responsibilities.
Kutala Vula – Kutala showed a keen interst in plants and propogation throughout her time at Green Futures. We therefore had no doubt that she would ably fill the position of nursery assistant in our green Futures nursery. Here she assist nursery manager Johan Strydom with all aspects of running the Green futures nursery including propogation, bagging up, caring for and selling our range of indigenous plants. She also does a great job at making us vetkoek (a local delicacy) on special occasions.
Nozuko Pelem – Nozuko also gave birth to a baby girl after completing her course at Green Futures. She has subsequently started the Siyakula project in her local township of Masakhane. Siyakula means "growing up" in Xhosa and was Nozuko's brainchild. Her idea was to provide other inhabitants of her local village who are unable to attend Green Futures (because of family commitments or language difficukties) with the opportunity to learn some of the skills she had picked up while at our College. She presently has three students and has set up a vegetable garden at the crèche in Masakhane. Nozuko has big plans with this project that include producing veggies, propogating indigenous plants and selling of seeds. We are very proud of her initiative and are actively supporting her in running Siyakula.
Nzuzo (Jacob) Kihi – Nzuzo was one of the star students from our 2003 class. He was nominated by his fellow students as well as the teaching staff to be one of our three students who visited the Eden Project in Cornwall in 2004. There he learnt a lot about working in a foreign land and with people from different nationalities. He has put this to good use back at Grootbos where he was employed as one of the Lodges nature guides. He has received rave reviews from guests that he leads on nature walks and drives through the Grootbos milkwood forest, fynbos and marine landscapes. Nzuzo was nominated for, and won a merit Award from the South African government for his achievements in Ecotourrism.
Phindile Siko – Pindile's natural love for landscaping made him the obvious choice for filling a new post at Grootbos as landscape manager at Grootbos's new Forest Lodge. There Pindile was involved in the design, layout and planting of the lodges new gardens and is now responsible for the maintenance of all aspects of the lodges gardens, pathways and swimming pools.
Sizuyile (Oscar) Mapukata – Oscar's keen interest in water-wise gardening enabled him to get a job as a landscape gardener at the Hermanus Golf Estate. There he is responsible for planning and implementing water-wise fynbos landscaping projects on the course. He also assists the rest of the team in maintaining the greens and fairways in top condition for the golfers. Oscar is often seen roaring aroung the course in his little golf buggy and is really enjoying this exciting new challenge.
Yoza (Goodwill) Lolwana – Goodwill was the third of our students who were nominated from the 2003/2004 class to visit the Eden Project in Cornwall. There he had a great time and particularly enjoyed the Cornish country life style. He has brought back the lessons learnt from Eden and is now employed as a nature guide at Grootbos where he has done exceptionally well and received rave-reviews from his guests. Goodwill has grown up in Gansbaai and is very proud to share the unique natural wonders of our region with local and international visitors.
Zamikhaya (David) Dindala – Zami was initially employed by Grootbos as a gardener at the new Forest lodge. There he did very well in the early stages of developing the garden. He was subsequently offered a post at local company in Gansbaai where he is happily employed primarily as a driver.
Zwelithini Gwele – Despite continuing to be the class clown throughout his year at Green Futures Zwelithini has grown in stature and responsibility. He shows initiative and a great desire to get somewhere in life. He is presently employed as a Grootbos nature guide and has high hopes of going far in the ecotourism/conservation fields.
July – July did exceptionally well as student representative during his year at Green Futures College and was nominated by his fellow students as well as lecturers to represent Green Futures as an ambassador to Eden. There he work-shadowed the biome supervisors and came back inspired and ready to take up his new role as Estate Manager at Grootbos. He is now responsible for all aspects of Estate work including
Freedom – On completion of his course at Green Futures, Freedom has returned to his position of nursery assistant at Green Futures nursery. He previously worked for Grootbos since 1996 and has always had a passion for plants and nursery work. Freedom always has a smile and feels that he has benefited tremendously form his time at Green Futures College. He now has a far better plant knowledge and is able to carry out all aspects of propagation and plant care without supervision.
Elliot – Like Oscar, Elliot is now also employed as a landscape assistant at the Hermanus Golf Course. He is thoroughly enjoying his role as water-wise gardener and we have seen him practicing his swing - so watch out Tiger Woods!