Understanding your Salary Breakdown

Many people do not understand how their pay slip/salary advice is made up, and most people only know what they take home because of their bank balance.

Finances

You need to know the difference between your Total Cost to Company, your Basic/Cash component your Gross and your Net.

Before accepting an offer of employment, you need to be informed and fully understand what is your monetary breakdown so that you do not make a loss. Some people are unaware of making a loss when they move because they do not understand their whole package clearly and so the prospective employer sometimes does not either. Unfortunately some prospective employers bargain with candidates on certain areas of their packages, forsaking the other vital aspects that make up the package, and so on paper, the offer looks great to the candidate. How can this happen?

Firstly, understand that you get cash benefits i.e. benefits that are reflected on your salary advice/pay slip, paid to you directly, generally. The non-cash benefits are benefits you are getting, but they are not always reflected on you pay slip. Non-cash benefits equate to money being paid to you, but indirectly, so it is on your behalf. You do not actually see that money. For example, if the company provides housing free of charge, that is a non-cash benefit. The company is physically paying money on your behalf to award you the accommodation, but you do not see that money. It does not mean you are not earning it. You are. If you were not, then you would need to pay in from your pocket for the cost of the accommodation. There are many non-cash benefits that can be awarded to staff that they overlook or take for granted, like free canteen meals, but remember that these non-cash benefits still make up your salary package. So how could you add it in when working out your salary package? You simply get the monetary value of the non-cash benefit. If the company house is market related at USD 750 per month, when working out your total package, you add in USD 750 into the total per month.

Again, if it is money paid on your behalf by the company, and even though you do not see it, it becomes a benefit to you.

So what are the different components of a salary?
Basic Salary:

Your “Basic Salary” also known as your “cash component” is the salary amount paid to you before you get any additional benefits from the employer such as medical aid, pension, and various allowances which are added in over and above your basic salary. So, your basic salary is the part of your salary that is a fixed amount every month. This amount does not include overtime pay and any bonuses or 13th cheques etc.

Gross Salary:

Gross Salary is the TOTAL salary received on MONTHLY BASIS. This excludes the annual components like Leave travel allowance, bonus etc. Your Cost to company is the Gross Pay + annual components + perks/benefits/perquisites, whether in cash or kind.
For example:

Gross Salary =

• Basic Salary
• Company contribution to Medical Aid, Pension/Provident fund, etc
• Allowances such as Travel, Entertainment, Computer, Cell phone, etc
• Overtime and Bonus for THAT specific period.

So basically, your gross salary is the amount of salary paid after adding all benefits and allowances and before deducting any tax. When applying for financial assistance, this is the salary component that is required from the banks, or the institution where money is to be loaned.

Net Salary:

Your “Nett Salary” is what is left of your salary after all deductions have been made as well as for PAYE (tax), UIF etc. This is also the amount that is paid into your bank account on a monthly basis. In certain cases, you may have other deductions if you have taken out a loan or bond re-payments and these may be deducted after the net salary is calculated. So the salary paid into your bank account would be your net salary less these repayments. Net salary is also referred to as “take home pay” – the money in your pocket at the end of the month.

Cost To Company

This term is used to calculate the total cost to the Company to employ you. i.e. absolutely all the costs the company has to make associated with your employment contract, as cash benefits and non-cash benefits. Cost to Company could include the following:

• Gross salary
• 13th Cheque and Bonuses
• Housing etc
• Costs of share options & incentive schemes etc.
• On Target Earnings (OTE)

etc.

OTE (On Target Earnings)

This is a form of salary that is variable in nature.  This salary structure is usually paid in sales-related jobs where one would usually get a basic salary and then a commission portion over and above the basic should one reach their targets; this is referred to as OTE. So the company pays a basic salary and then pays commission on sales one generates for the company. The commission generally kicks in only once you have made a predetermined sales target. There are various ways that the commission is calculated and almost every company has its own commission structures.

When moving from one company to another company, make sure you know exactly what you earn in cash and non-cash benefits. If you do not know, speak to someone in HR who can give you a summation of this and if there are any benefits you get but don’t know the value of that benefit, find out the monetary value.

Moving to another company:

When moving to another company, compare apples with apples to make sure you are not making a loss, only where applicable though. If you are currently given a company car where everything as in petrol and insurance is covered by the company, if moving jobs requires that you use your own vehicle, wear and tear on the car and car insurance will need to be subsided so that you do not make a loss in the long run.

However if you are using your own vehicle for company use where you are presently, and moving jobs means getting a company car, you obviously will not expect the car insurance etc as a cash benefit as you will not need to be paying that in anymore on the use of your won vehicle.

If you are getting a laptop currently owing to the nature of you job in working overtime, and moving jobs does not require one, as it is purely office based requiring no overtime, it should obviously not be a benefit you will miss out on and require to move, so you do not need to request one. It is not affecting your income in any way as it was purely a resource to get the job done in the previous position owing to circumstances. Be realistic and careful about your expectations and again, understand EXACTLY what you earn.

Lastly, if you are moving jobs, and in your present position, you work a set amount of hours overtime  and are reliant on that income, there is no point in moving for a slightly higher basic, with no overtime required as at the end of the day, you will miss that overtime that you were previously reliant on if the basic does not marry up. The client will say, well you will be having a better queslity of life, which is tru, but if you are reliant on the money, it will post a problem to you in the long run, so discuss it in more detail to see what solution one can come to. On paper the offer might look good, but when you work it out, comparing all aspects, you might be making a loss in the long run.

Another scenario is getting a guaranteed 13th cheque at your present employer, but moving to a new company that gives you a slightly higher basic with no 13^th cheque actually means you might be earning the same amount after working it out over a year’s period. It all depends on your reasons for leaving and what a realistic salary expectation is. If you are being retrenched, you cannot get interviewed with lavish demands. You are putting yourself at unnecessary risk of someone else getting the job.

Most companies offer an increase on you basic salary and this is on a percentage basis. They do not give a salary increase on the cost to company total as benefits change from company to company, however, make sure that the difference in benefits are not going to affect that nice little increase on your basic, where you end up paying in more for benefits you are no longer awarded.

PLEASE NOTE: At the end of the day, the very most important aspect of your income is your Net salary. What you take home in your pocket at the end of the month after all deductions and contributions. If you get an offer, ask the prospective employer to kindly give you a basic dummy payslip and ask them to work out roughly what your net will be. Once you have an estimate of your net income and consider the benefits you are getting, if the new benefits or lack thereof do not affect your net negatively in any way, the offer should be good. If your net looks less, but you will no longer be paying for housing as it is a new benefit to you in moving, you must consider that as well. Even though the Net is lower, you can work out what it would have been realistically if you were still paying for your own housing for example. If you are benefiting in the long run, even with a lower Net, there should be nothing to contest or discuss. The package as a whole must make sense to you before you make a decision.

What salary increase can I expect?

This cannot be cast in stone. It will all depend on the company’s budget, industry skills shortages, your stability as a candidate, risk pay and other external living circumstances, educational background etc. On average clients give between a 10 – 20% increase on one’s basic salary with matching or improved benefits. Again, it depends on many factors and so the best option, very generally speaking is to go for a 12-15% increase on your basic with matching benefits, but again, each case is so individual and unique and the client will judge this decision on the merit of the application, and on how competitive the job is. Some people do not earn market related salaries or have not moved jobs in 10 yrs and get exorbitant increases when moving.

To remain as competitive as possible, go in for a lucrative increase, realistic to your needs and expectations but do not out price yourself as it may not be to wise in comparison to others going for the same job.

For more information about how to format your CV and the whole application process please visit our candidate area here is the link:Candidates

Mining Machines

This is an article that provides a brief overview on what is going on currently in Mozambique.

Roads Mozambique Jobs

Mozambique’s National Roads Administration has hired a Portuguese company recently to carry out two construction projects worth a total of 70 million euros.  The first is in the Niassa, and Zambezia provinces with at total of 58km (2 sections worked on).  The second is in the Tete province with two sections totalling 90 km.  This will create a large number of local jobs in an economy that is starting to bloom this year.  The completion deadline is said to be around 18 months.

Railway in Mozambique – the build up to more jobs:

The railway in Mozambique is almost non existent.  At the current moment there is a great move to rebuild and fix up the current railway structure from all over.  This in turn provides large amount of semi-skilled jobs for the locals in Mozambique.  There is also a expansive amount of training going on all over Mozambique from various companies as they need to develop the skills in the local communities.  It is interesting to note that where would a company for instance find a Mozambican train driver?  If you are working or have worked on railways please contact us.

It has also been mentioned that the government is looking to fix up the Sena railroad or rather to modernize it so that they can increase the transport capacity.  They are looking to increase it to carry at least 12 million tons of cargo per year.

Mining – the powerhouse to providing more jobs:

Various mining groups from all over the world are streaming to Mozambique.  This will generate many jobs over the next few years.  Heavy industry will especially benefit from this new venture in Mozambique.  Many provinces in Mozambique are seeing huge developments in the job market as these mines get from exploration to start up phase to actual production phase.   There are railway and road developments to remote areas of Mozambique.

Tete comes to mind which is probably one of the biggest discoveries of coal in the past few years in the world.  Railways and roads are being developed opening up the area for other businesses to start there.  Life in Tete will never be the same again.  As soon as roads are developed then infrastructure becomes far easier that will yet again create many more jobs for Mozambicans.

Even now, the government is looking to auction off more coal concessions in the Tete province.  This is however a new way of granting concessions, however it was mentioned that the way they give out concessions in the other provinces will still remain the same.

Other mining groups are looking to also do business in Mozambique.  Adding to the weight of the mining industry in Mozambique.    Even the smaller mining houses are developing the locals resulting in job creating.  In the long run more and more Mozambicans are employed and the country in turn becomes more and more stable and wealthy.

With all of this going on, Mozambique will be looking at developing their energy supply to all these heavy electricity mining houses.

Power Generation

This brings us to the ever increasing problem around the world.  Power generation.  Gigawatt Mozambique (Privately held)  gas-fired power plant to be ready by the end of 2013.  This plant is expected to cost around US $230 million and will be located in Rossano Garcia on the border between Mozambique and South Africa, and provide electricity to Mozambique’s national power grid, which is managed by state electricity company Electricidade de Moçambique (EdM).

Biodiesel:

Recently the first lot of Biodiesel has been produced in Mozambique. It is clear that the country is attracting attention from the business world all over.

Possible positions in the Mining sector:

Project engineering jobs

Engineer jobs

• Chemical/Metallurgical jobs
• Civil engineering jobs
• Electrical / electronic engineering jobs
• Environmental jobs
• Mechanical engineering jobs
• Exploration geologist jobs
• Plant manager jobs
• Mining engineers jobs
• Mine and mining manager jobs

Blasting personnel jobs

HR jobs

Health and safety jobs

Technical / Supervisor jobs

• CAD Draftsman jobs
• ICT Technician jobs
• Geoscience technician jobs
• Laboratory technician jobs
• Metallurgical technician jobs
• Mine planner jobs
• Mine surveyor jobs
• Maintenance foreman jobs
• Shift boss jobs
• Plant foreman jobs

Trade jobs:

• Boilermaker / Welder jobs
• Electrician jobs
• Fitter jobs
• Labourer jobs
• Field assistant jobs
• Crusher Operator jobs
• Mobile operator jobs

If you are in the following fields please send us your CV.

• Earth works/ Construction jobs
• Drainage / Piping jobs
• Ground stabilisation jobs
• Paving jobs
• Signage jobs
• Safety jobs

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HOW DOES A RECRUITMENT AGENCY WORK?

WHAT IS A RECRUITMENT AGENCY?

A recruitment agency is a company that gets job specifications i.e. job specs from a company (a client), who has specific requirements for a vacancy within their organisation in order to get the job position filled with the type of candidate they have in mind. The recruitment agency will generally charge a once off fee for a candidate who starts on a permanent capacity, and the company will take the candidate onto their books as a permanent employee. If is it a temp assignment, sometimes the agency will take them onto their books and pay the candidate on behalf of the company. So in essence, the temp works for the recruitment agency. At other times, the temporary employee will not go onto the recruitment agency’s books but will be non-administered temps where the company will pay their salary and just pay the agency the fee for the duration of the assignment. It all depends on what arrangement the client and agency have made.

IS A RECRUITMENT AGENCY AND A LABOUR BROKER THE SAME THING?

No. A recruitment agency receives a once off fee from the client for the candidate who they have provided (if permanent staff) and the company takes the candidate onto their books and pays their salary and benefits etc. A Labour Broker will have the candidate go onto their books, not the client’s, and they will pay the candidate their salary, outsourcing them to work for the client. The labour broker will handle the interviews, recruitment, HR, discipline, admin, payroll, PPE, transport, ensuring all legislative requirements are met, etc. The client takes no direct responsibility for the salary or wages of that candidate. Many companies like to work with labour brokers as they can terminate the assignment when required without getting into any legal issues as in essence, they are employed by the labour broker and not the client, but they work for the client. In this way, a flexible staffing solution is provided to the client where they can avoid the risks associated with unfair dismissal or other labour disputes as a consequence of the ever changing labour legislation. Another benefit to the company is that the burden of dealing with union meetings and various demands, wage disputes and negotiations, strikes, unfair dismissal cases and CCMA disputes are removed.

HOW DOES A RECRUITMENT AGENCY AND CLIENT WORK TOGETHER?

After the agency’s service agreement has been signed by the client, or a legal agreement is in place between the recruitment agency and the client, the client will give the recruitment agency a job spec/s. Different agencies have different terms and conditions. Some agencies ask a retainer fee before doing anything for a client, but generally no fee is charged to the client until a candidate has been chosen and actually starts working there. The agency carries all the advertising costs. The invoice is only issued to the client once the candidate commences employment. The fee is generally a certain percentage of the candidate’s offered salary. The candidate does not pay anything to anyone for getting the job. Only the client pays the service charge to the agency for finding them the suitable candidate. The client makes the final decision as to who they will employ. The recruitment agency only presents a pool of possible suitable candidates as per the prerequisite from the client.

There are generally fail-safes in the agreement between the client and agency to protect the client from unnecessarily losing money. This would be replacement guarantee or refund guarantee on a sliding scale for candidates who prove to be technically incompetent. These terms and agreements change from agency to agency. There are different conditions for permanent and contract/temp staff.

HOW DOES THE RECRUITMENT AGENCY RECRUIT THE CANDIDATE?

Firstly, just because a candidate applies to an agency, it does not mean that they will necessarily be able to assist the candidate. Many candidates get angry when they apply for a position or even just send their CV for future positions, and the agency never seems to be able to assist them. Why? This is because clients have very specific needs and stipulations around a vacancy and they want these requirements filled exactly, and that is why they come to an agency in the first place, as sometimes finding these people will be too costly on their own time with their limited resources and expertise for recruitment sourcing. Some candidates may think, ‘well, why should I send me CV if they can’t help me right now?’ Well one thing about the recruitment industry is that vacancies come and go, and client needs are also always changing. If an agency does not have a particular candidate’s CV on their database by the time a vacancy arises for someone with their skills, they simply won’t be contacted, unless they happen to hear of the job and apply at that moment. We know this does not always happen and so people who are not registered practically won’t get contacted firstly.

The agency will advertise the position on job boards, in newspapers at times, networking, through word of mouth, referrals, and also headhunting. Generally speaking, the agency pays all the recruitment costs for this, not the client.

After the agency goes through applications, they shortlist from the best candidates who have applied, and thereafter start interviewing them. There is often a further shortlisting thereafter to pick the strongest candidate from those initially shortlisted.

Agencies generally qualify candidates in-depth through understanding their motives, preferences, long term career goals and personal circumstances, but can only effectively find the best candidate for the job by fully understanding client requirements and the culture and history of the company they are recruiting for. After shortlisting who they feel may be the best candidates, after understanding the client’s preferences, they submit the applications which are usually a CV, with supporting documents and salary information along with references. The client will then go through these applications and get back to the agency with the people who they choose to interview. The agency does not decide who will be interviewed, the client does.

PLEASE NOTE: If you decide to be represented by an agency, make sure that they are not going to be putting your CV forward to a company that you have already applied directly to, or have been represented at already by another agency. It really is up to the recruiter to make sure this does not happen, but do not give them permission to represent you somewhere where you have already been in the last 6 months. Firstly there cannot be a double representation. Either you represent yourself, or they represent you which generally comes with many benefits to you. The client does not need the service of an agency to represent you if they have already got your CV. Secondly, it is highly unprofessional for a client to get your application twice through different means. Either it means that you do not know where your CV is going which can be a reflection on how non-serious you are about your career, or you have mislead a recruiter, or the recruiter you are working with is simply unprofessional and has not asked the right questions. In any event, it is generally not going to look good for you. Make sure you know exactly where you CV is going before it is submitted. Please note that recruiters may not give you the exact company name of where they want to submit your CV until they have your information. This is simply to prevent applicants applying directly and jeopardising client confidentiality, as well as undermining the recruiter service to you. They should give you enough information about the company as in sector, size, general location etc for you to decide if you would like to be put forward initially. But once they have your information, they should tell you who the company is BEFORE finally sending in the completed paperwork. This again gives you the chance to change your mind and make sure that you still want to go ahead with the application. Two agencies cannot represent you to the same job so do not think that playing the field will improve your chances. Again, it will reflect badly on you.

…BUT I MATCH THE JOB SPEC EXACTLY. WHY AM I NOT SHORTLISTED!!!

Clients generally have very specific preferences in their vacancy requirements. This ranges from certain amount of post graduate years’ experience required from the right candidate, to sometimes age preferences for an organisational/departmental fit, to specific levels of seniority. Sometimes they want only local applications for various reasons and will not consider expats, and visa versa. At times they may have gender preferences, sometimes going as far as wanting single applicants without families when working in remote areas without schooling facilities. Clients may have knock out factors that unfortunately disqualify some candidates who may think they are perfectly in line when applying. For example:  In very rugged and remote areas, some companies will not consider female electrical engineers owing to tough living conditions, strongly male dominated environments etc. depending on the circumstance. Agencies cannot categorically state this in their job specs as it would be seen as discrimination and encourage many unnecessary questions from applicants applying when an agency does not have the time to explain the preference to every applicant. Another example – Age preference. It may be that the department is a young group of people who have close relationships, working excessive overtime, and travelling extensively. In an instant like this, an older candidate with a family would probably not fit in as well with the team, battle with excessive overtime when family is generally a priority to many people, where spending late hours at work and travelling a lot would mean potentially creating strain on family relationships. The client knows that in the long run, someone like this will not be with the company for very long. For a client this would be a risk factor and so they would not consider someone in this situation to protect the company’s best interests.

What candidates also need to realise concerning applications, is that things are not cut and dried when applying to a job ad. Many candidates who apply to jobs fit the spec perfectly on paper, but must understand that at times, there are specific requirements and circumstantial preferences that cannot always be communicated in the advertised job spec. Many candidates do not get the response they want and get very despondent and even angry at times. Owing to the sheer number of applications that an agency gets on a daily basis, they are unable to give personalised and specific details on why applicants might not be shortlisted for a job. Suffice to say, the agency should be professional in what they do, and so a courteous and basic regret letter should suffice. Some candidates want to demand an explanation as to why they have not been considered, by after understanding the recruitment process, may be more patient with agencies, provided there is some form of acknowledgement for their application. It is unfortunately the way of the industry, but many agencies never provide this courtesy of a simple regret, and so most candidates are left in the dark concerning their applications, sometimes not knowing whether they have even been received or not.

BEING AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE OPPORTUNTIES… WHY JUST SEND IN YOUR CV?

Sometimes an agency may advertise something like ‘We are looking for guys who are in the mining sector in West Africa. Please send us your CV if interested.’ But realise that it does not mean that everyone who sends in their CV is then guaranteed of getting another job in West Africa immediately, of course. Agencies get dozens of CVs a day, but again, only very specific client requirements at any one given time. Client needs change all the time, so they make sure that when they do get a vacancy that arises for someone with your skills or similar skills to what you have, they can contact you immediately, if you are already registered, or on their company database. Agencies generally do not wait for the last minute before they find the candidates the clients may be looking for. They are always actively building their database to give people who register and them as an agency, the best opportunity in getting what they need. It saves you time, and saves the agency time. If you are not on their database at that time they get in a position that you may be suitable for, you simply won’t be contacted as they will not have your contact details. Or alternatively, it may take longer for you to be aware of the job and apply, and by then the vacancy might be filled already where you potentially lose out because you were not necessarily ‘traceable’ at the time.

THE INTERVIEW PROCESS:

After candidates have been shortlisted from the client, the agency will get back to all the applicants who have been submitted to either regret or set up an interview for them. The recruitment agency makes sure that the candidates are fully prepared for the interview, knows what to expect, advises them on dress code, and gives directions to the company as well as details of the people who will be interviewing them. The agency will them get feedback from the client to find out what the feedback was to give to the candidate as to whether they are successful or not. If successful, the agency usually is there to make sure that there is a smooth offer process. The agency will communicate with the candidate to make sure everything in their offer is understood and that they are happy and assist where possible to make sure there is a smooth process of accepting the offer from the candidate. Any concerns or questions are first discussed with the company by the recruitment agency and hopefully resolved. Sometimes clients will correspond directly with the candidates, but this is not always wise and a breakdown in communication can jeopardise the entire process where the client and candidate is left frustrated and the process folds. Clients generally need to rely on the expertise and experience of an agency to assist in this pivotal stage owing to their experience in the process and relationship they should have established with the candidate. This is where companies need to pick the recruitment agencies that they work with carefully by doing research on the agency before entering into a working relationship with them. After the candidate commences work with their new employer, the agency will continue to build relationship with the candidate making sure that they are happy and that any concerns that the client or candidate has are dealt with even after they have joined the company.

Environmentally friendly (also eco-friendly, nature friendly,and green) are synonyms used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment. To make consumers aware, environmentally friendly goods and services often are marked with eco-labels.

Environmentally Friendly can mean anything from recycling, and walking short journeys rather than using the car, to researching climate change. Even the smallest difference can make a big impact.

Important Concerns through global deterioration

Reports by The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment include:

Between 10 – 30% of all mammal, bird, and amphibian species are being threatened with extinction in the long term.

60% of the planet’s eco system such as freshwater for irrigation or ocean fishing, are being degraded or used unsustainably.

Since 1750, atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased around 32 percent primarily because of the burning of fossil fuels and land use changes. Around 60 percent of this increase has taken place since 1959.
More land has been converted to cropland since 1945 than was cultivated in the 18th and 19th centuries combined. About 30 percent of the Earth’s land area is devoted to some kind of agriculture.

Reports by The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

One way of reducing our impact on the planet is to use eco-friendly materials. Eco-friendly means engaging in activities that are beneficial for the environment.

Non toxic and chemical free products made from all natural ingredients are designed to improve the health of the environment and people while reducing the negative impact on environment. Using eco-friendly products such as toiletry products, body and face products, natural cleaners, paints, bath products, and other household products decrease the amount of chemicals that the environment, animals, and people are exposed to. This reduces the risk of many health illnesses such as asthma, headaches, skin conditions, cancers, and many other conditions.

A major contributor to global warming are fossil fuels is. Toxins emitted from manufacture processing plants contaminate the air, soil, and water. Practicing energy conservation techniques such as energy efficient light bulbs, will help lessen the amount of carbon emissions being released into the atmosphere.

Furniture and various products made from trees from sustainable forests help reduce forest depletion. Eco friendly homes and buildings protect natural resources such as forests.

In Buying products made from recycled materials, this will help reduce the amount of waste being dumped. It will also decrease the amount of land that is cleared to build new waste dumps. In addition to this, there are fewer carbon emissions being released into the air because fewer products are being manufactured.

Embracing an eco-friendly lifestyle is changing how we live and how items are being manufactured. Use environmentally friendly materials to improve the health of the environment, humans, plants, and animals. Adopting a lifestyle where we purchase eco-friendly products and materials is something we can all do to ensure a healthy future for everyone.

Material Bags More Eco-Friendly Than Paper/Plastic Bags

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Even though paper bags seem like a better option that plastic bags, at the end of the day, they are not, based on the environmental consequences

In 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency released a report claiming that paper accounts for over 30 percent of municipal solid waste in the US. Over 10 billion paper bags are used in the US each year which represents about 14 million trees that are harvested for their production.

The Film and Bag Federation in the USA claimed that paper bags require 40 percent more energy to produce than plastic bags, create 80 percent more waste, emit 70 percent more atmospheric pollution, and are responsible for 94 percent more waterborne wastes.

The production of paper bags require more energy to produce and generate more pollution than plastic bags. We all know that plastic bags are bad, but the end result of paper bags could be worse.

The answer then is to use reusable/material shopping bags. The more these bags are used, the more we save our environment and often times save money on a personal level as well. Reusable bags can last a few years and therefore the environmental impact thereof is lessened greatly.

Lower your electricity bill and conserve

1. Turn off lights that you are not using. When your old bulbs burn out, try replacing them with the new energy efficient bulbs. They last much longer, from 3-5 years with average use.
2. If you have an automatic dishwasher, only run it when it is completely full. Don’t use the automatic dryer, let your dishes air dry. This saves a lot of money in the long run.
3. Try washing clothes in cold water instead of hot water.
4. Hang out your clothes to dry as opposed to using a tumble dryer unnecessarily.
5. If making one cup of tea/coffee, just fill the kettle enough for that cup. Do not boil a full kettle of water just for one cup.
6. In Summer, if the temperature is cool outside, open your windows for a draught as opposed to using a fan.
7. Change you’re Alternate Current filter once a month. If the filter is clogged with dust, it will make the A/C work harder, costing you more money! An average filter in not expensive to replace; doing so can save you money in the long run.
8. Turn off your geyser when you are away from home for longer periods of time
9. Turn off your computer monitor when not in use. If you’re not surfing, no need to leave that monitor on. If you have more than one computer, turn off the one you use the least.
10. Turn off your television when not in use.

Recycling Tips to Protect the Environment

The state of our earth today is being affected by acid rain, possible global warming, depletion of the ozone layer and worsening of air as well as water pollution. We are not taking proper care of the environment.

How can you help?  Recycling , reducing and reusing

1. Take cloth bags whenever you go grocery shopping. Not only are cloth bags highly reliable and sturdy, these are also reusable and enable you to avoid using plastic bags.
2. Buy rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones. They may be a little costly, but in the long run you will be saving more because you do not have to keep on buying more. Batteries cannot be incinerated and therefore end up on waste dumps
3. Compost kitchen waste by digging a hole in your garden to place food discards in it. Do not include animal or meat wastes in it. This homemade fertilizer is not only great for the environment, but also gives you wonderful soil for your garden.
4. Wash glass, aluminium and plastic containers before handing them in to be recycled.
5. Use cloth towels instead of paper towels to minimize waste.
6. Stop junk mail. Contact the company sending you unwanted catalogues/brochures. At work, do not print paper unnecessarily. Read news online instead of buying newspapers.
7. Store your food in airtight containers as opposed to using clingwrap that you can only use once and then discard.
8. If you have a baby, try reverting to the traditional method of using cloth nappies/diapers. This can save you a lot of money and saves space in the landfill.
9. Make sure that you recycle everything that you possibly can.
10. Reuse glass bottles. It is safer to use glass bottles as containers for beverages because plastic chemicals leech
    into the water we drink.

Organic Farming

Farming without chemicals is known as organic farming. No chemicals are used to grow the food, so there are none that can harm your health. By choosing organic produce, people can assist in saving the countryside.

Saving the Rainforests

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See where you can get involved in contributing financially to these projects. Go do decent second hand wooden furniture, as you will be assisting in saving trees.

River Pollution

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Human waste can drastically affect public water and become a great health risk. Dangerously, River pollution is concentrated around urban areas. Pollution is occurring when the water shows an alteration of physical and chemical parameters such as odor, taste, colour, turbidity.

The most common sources of pollution are domestic water discharges from the houses in the catchment area, and uncontrolled dumps of solid domestic wastes along tributary banks and in dry ravines. Industrial discharge can also be a major cause of pollution in areas. Each industrial discharge usually contains chemicals and organic compounds which can enter the bodies of many aquatic animals. Even ground water can be polluted from the soakage pits, septic tanks, manure, garbage, etc. and that eventually discharges to the rivers still worsening the problem.

Littering

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Cigarette butts make up a large part of much urban litter and they can take up to 12 years to break down.

Plastics block drains and can cause harm to animals. Most plastic is not easily biodegradable.
Plastic actually decomposes as it is exposed to the rain and sun and other environmental conditions, giving rise to yet another source of global contamination that will continue into the future. As the plastic breaks down, it releases BPA, a compound shown to throw off rats’ hormone systems, along with another potentially harmful substance called styrene trimer. The toxins could pose a threat to the ecosystem in various ways.

Green Energy

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Major utilities around the world are looking seriously to wind turbines as a source of green energy. Major public utilities regulators know green energy wind generated electricity that will eliminate a reliance on coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels by the end of this decade.
Wind energy poses a sustainable and a clean green electricity alternative to fossil fuels and nuclear power.

Solar Energy is a renewable source of energy. Sunlight and other sources of energy are used to generate solar power through solar pannels. Solar energy that can be set up in a backyard, is capable of generating enough green energy power for a single home.

Mining Industry : Zambia overview

Zambia is a landlocked country in Africa, and the 39^th largest country in the world after Chile.  The capital of Zambia is Lusaka.  Population is mainly around Lusaka, and also the Copperbelt province.  On 24 October 1964, Zambia declared independence from British colonial rule.  Zambia was also named the world’s fastest economically reformed country in 2010.  Interestingly the  Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is headquartered in the capital Lusaka.  It is no secret that the mining industry is the economic backbone of Zambia.  Although Zambia is such a large producer of copper and cobalt 68% of the population live below the recognized poverty line.

Courtesy of www.geology.com

When it comes to the production of copper and cobalt in the world, Zambia is one of the major producers.  In regards to copper it is the seventh largest producer generating about 3.3% of the world’s production of copper.  When it comes to cobalt Zambia is the second largest producer coming in at 19.7% of total cobalt mined in the world.  Not only does it have large quantities of CI-CO (Copper) deposits but also a wide variety of other metalliferous and non-metallifierous resources.  Exploration of copper started as early as the 1930’s, but since then other commodities have been explored and mined.  As a by product of the mining, and production of copper significant quantities of selenium, silver, gold and platinum are produced.  Lead, and Zinc was found in the carbonate-hosted deposits in Kabwe, it ranks as one of the highest zink, and lead deposits in the world.

Popular searches (jobs in)

All Mining Jobs Africa

Project Management Jobs

Botswana DRC Madagascar Mozambique Namibia South Africa Zambia

Mining in Africa in regards to jobs in the mining sector and what to expect should you move.
There are over 60 mineral and metal products produced in Africa. Mines in Africa are also the major producer of the world’s most important metals and minerals, this includes: Gold, Diamonds, Uranium, Manganese, Chromium, Nickel, Bauxite and Cobalt. What is interesting that although Africa has so much to contribute its contribution in regards to major metals (Lead, Zinc and Copper) is less than 7%. It is estimated that Africa hosts about 30% of the planets mineral reserves, of which 40% of Gold, 60% of Cobalt and 90% of Platinum. This makes Africa a very strategic producer of these precious metals. Because of the amount of mines in Africa there is a huge demand for specialised labour, there are various job opportunities in various countries, I’ve listed a few below.

There has almost always been some turmoil around the mining industry in various countries in Africa, from politics to child labour to government coops to bribery. In some countries people even get danger pay. Some countries are unstable because of their huge assets in the mining industry, the DRC comes to mind. Even with all of this negativity going around Africa is still producing, and growing tremendously fast in the mining industry. Recent discoveries of various commodities all around Africa have caused a stir worldwide and we will still see the outworking of this in the near future. Everywhere they are scrambling to build new roads, harbours, rail roads, power plants, power lines. There has been a huge layout for infrastructure all over the continent, this will a massive benefit to each country where this is happening. Tete in western Mozambique is an example of this. Because of this massive coal field found in Tete, mining started by a few major players. The infrastructure necessary for these mines to function is immense but already well on the way and much of it already finished. The port in Nacala has greatly benefitted from this. This is but one example of what is happening all across Africa.

There are many job opportunities all around Africa. These positions can vary from fly in fly out, to “you have to stay for x months”, to getting danger pay, to staying in camps. These positions can be so diverse and depending on the person you could really find the ideal position that suite your personality. From dangerous, to the normal office jobs. From start-up mining exploration companies ruffing it up, to well established companies, from no red tape to plenty of it. I am convinced that you could find the ideal job in the mining industry on your expectations. At the bottom of this article I’ve just listed a few positions that come to mind when thinking of positions open in the mining industry in Africa. Working in Africa in spite of certain political conditions is exiting, and favoured by many.
There are many large players in the mining industry that come from various countries like ie Canada, China, America, Australia. Recently there has been a wave in different countries about nationalisation of which South Africa has become the major push in this regard. Mining companies pay huge amount of tax to mostly corrupt governments all over Africa which results in no benefit to the locals in the vicinity of the mine. This has of late been a huge discussion all over the continent. Does mining benefit Africa? This is one of the questions popping up everywhere.

Countries doing mining extensively:
South Africa, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, DRC , Angola, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Zambia and Botswana.

Commodities in Africa
Antimony, Bauxite, Chromite, Coal, Cobalt, Copper, Diamonds, Gold, Iron Ore, Lead, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Palladium, Phosphates, Platinum, Silver, Tantalum, Tin, Tungsten, Uranium, Vanadium, Zinc, Zirconium

Various companies you will find in Africa but there are many others:
Papiloon Resources; BHP Billiton; Loncor; Gold One; Cluff; Pan African Resources; Volta; Middle Island; Gem Diamonds; Village Main Reef; Perseus; Tiger Resources; Randgold & Exploration; Taung Gold; Wits Gold; Anglo American; Kalahari Minerals; Extract Resources; De Beers; Globe Metals; Predictive Ddiscovery; Golden Rim; Exxaro Resources; Continental Coal; Adamus Resources; Obtala; Tanzanian Royalty; Keaton; Keegan; Cassidy; Lontoh Coal; Vale; Konkola; African Eagle; Perseus; Allana Potash; Glencor; Riverstone; Shaw Resources; Universal Coal;

Current Positions open in Africa from Adogreen:

All Mining Jobs

Project Management Jobs

Botswana DRC Madagascar Mozambique Namibia South Africa Zambia

Typical position that you might find in Africa in the mining industry
Blasting
Technical services manager
Shift Boss
Mine Overseer

Drilling
Drill Trainier
Engineering Manager
Diesel Mechanic
Artisans
Trackless fitter
Trackless Diesel Mechanic

Geology
Exploration Geologist
Project Geologist
Senior Geologist

Health and Safety
SHE officer
SHE manager
SHEQ officer
SHEQ manager
Safety Manager

Operations
Engineering Manager
Mechanical Engineer
Mineral Resource Manager
Mining Planning engineer
Mine design engineer
Mine Manager (Various Commodities)
• Ensure that the plant meets the production plan in accordance with the agreed production plan
• Ensure that all operations are conducted safely and all equipment is maintained in excellent condition in accordance with agreed planned maintenance
• Ensure strict control of costs to ensure minimum cost expenditure in accordance with budgets
• Should be flexible, dedicated, loyal to company and production orientated
• Be prepared to work on a single status, roster basis

Operation Manager
Senior Project Engineer
Underground Mine Engineer
Chief Underground Mine Engineer
Duties:
• Block Reserve Evaluation
• Development and Bulk Stoping (Blast Ring) Design
• Management of Survey, Ventilation, Infrastructure and Projects
• Strong Communication and Report Writing Skills
• Working to strict deadlines
• Strong Training and Coaching of Expats and Local Staff
• Change Management – Implementation of Planning Software and Building Technical Dept
• Month End Reporting Process
• Expatriate Experience (West Africa preferably)
• Experience on Remote Mine Sites (FIFO)
• Administration of Mining Contracts

Requirements:
• 10 to 15 years hard rock mining (technical and production)
• Minimum 5 years Trackless Longhole Bulk Mining
• Must have managed Short and Long Term Mine Planning
• Proficient in Mine24D and/or Surpac
• Experience of AutoCAD2010 or similar CAD package
• Experience of Promine

Qualifications:
• BSc/BEng or MEng/MSc Mining
• Professional Engineer or Equivalent Manager’s Certificate
• Proficient in Mine Planning/Design Software
• French language or willingness to learn

Plant
Plant Manager
Plant Engineer
Plant Metallurgist
Process Engineer Gold/Iron Ore/Coal/Base Metals

Survey
Quantity surveyor
Senior quantity surveyor

BBC has a documentary on the subject oes mining benefit Africa?
Here is part one:Does mining benefit Africa?

Basic Botswana Mining Industry Overview:

The mining industry has since 1990 brought great change to the people of Botswana.  The mining industry has dominated the national economy.  Diamond mining on a large scale started around 25 years ago, and diamonds have also been the leading mineral extracted.

Most of the Diamond production was gem quality this resulting that Botswana became the leading producer of diamond by value.  Other commodities mined in Botswana are Copper, Gold, Nickel, Soda Ash and recently there has been a move towards coal.

In 2005 38% of Botswana’s GDP came from the mining industry and in regards to the government more than 50% of their revenue where derived from mining and mineral processing activity. Botswana’s mining industry employs around 13000 people

Botswana is bordered by South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe having no port of their own.

There are many multinational mining houses now starting to invest in Botswana.  Botswana is also known for the safety factor in Africa, where a business knows that should it invest, they would be safe.  This is a very strong draw card for mining houses from all over the world.

Concerning the Diamond mining industry in Botswana:

Debswana a 50/50 joint partnership of De Beers Centenary AG and the Government accounts for all diamond production in Botswana.  This partnership has really changed the Botswana economy around.  Although Debswana is by far the largest diamond mining operation there are various other diamond mining operations currently mining in Botswana.

Copper and Nickel mining in Botswana:

(the possibility of new jobs in Botswana in this mining sector specifically)

Several copper and nickel exploration projects where underway already by the year 2005, and some of them are already in start-up phase or running by 2012.

There are many exciting jobs that come with exploration like:

Exploration Geologist Jobs, Project Manager Job, Survey Jobs, Environmental Jobs.

Gold Mining in Botswana:

(although small it provides many jobs for locals in Botswana.)

It is exciting to know as a local Botswana Citizen that in the mining sector it is now possible to get experience in more than one commodity in the mining industry.  So many jobs are open in so many different type of mines, that you could really set yourself up as person with diverse experience without leaving your own country.  Botswana is truly now setting itself up to grow beyond the diamond sector to become a player in various other mining fields.

Coal mining in Botswana:

Recently there has been an explosion in the coal sector in Southern Africa bringing in thousands of new jobs to locals from all over Africa.  Botswana is not far behind in developing their coal fields further.  This year 2012 and international mining company managed to send a 25 tonne wagon from Botswana to Maputo, Mozambique to prove that it is possible to get coal from Botswana to a port for international export.   There are however quite a few hurdles to get over before this happens but this is a great day for the coal industry in Botswana.  Should this project get off the ground effectively if would mean many new jobs to come to the Botswana community possibly creating a larger range of development for locals in terms of commodity.  There are also plans for a thermal power station at the site where most of the mining is to be done.  There has been talks up to now of a plant producing 600 megawatts of electricity which will use some of the coal from the field being mined.  The entire deposit at Sese has been said to be effectively open cut strip mining, which in turn comes with low risks and low costs.  At the moment it could mean up to 5 million tonnes of coal being mined per year.

There are various open jobs on our site www.adogreen.com/jobs in the Botswana mining industry. Should you be interested in any open job in this mining industry of Botswana please feel free to contact us directly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d08SZaMS-nw

A showcase of Botswana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8y3XXapV6c

Possible positions in the Mining sector: Current jobs open in Botswana

Project engineering jobs

Engineer jobs

• Chemical/Metallurgical jobs
• Civil engineering jobs
• Electrical / electronic engineering jobs
• Environmental jobs
• Mechanical engineering jobs
• Exploration geologist jobs
• Plant manager jobs
• Mining engineers jobs
• Mine and mining manager jobs

Blasting personnel jobs

HR jobs

Health and safety jobs

Technical / Supervisor jobs

• CAD Draftsman jobs
• ICT Technician jobs
• Geoscience technician jobs
• Laboratory technician jobs
• Metallurgical technician jobs
• Mine planner jobs
• Mine surveyor jobs
• Maintenance foreman jobs
• Shift boss jobs
• Plant foreman jobs

Trade jobs:

• Boilermaker / Welder jobs
• Electrician jobs
• Fitter jobs
• Labourer jobs
• Field assistant jobs
• Crusher Operator jobs
• Mobile operator jobs

If you are in the following fields please send us your CV.

For South Africans, energy is not something that is taken for granted. At the end of racial apartheid, only 40% of homes had electricity. Since then, that number has doubled to 83%, but that still leaves 17% of the population unconnected, and many more regularly affected by lengthy power outages. That is precisely why South Africans are looking towards a brighter future with solar energy at the helm.

In November, officials announced plans to build a 5GW solar power station in the Northern Cape—the world’s largest solar installation to date. The location was chosen for good reason, as the region is considered one of the sunniest in the world, with very few clouds and even less rain.

South Africa’s current electricity usage is somewhere between 45 and 48 GW per year, 90% of which comes directly from coal-fired power stations. This solar installation alone could cover one-tenth of the region’s electric needs, significantly decreasing their dependence on coal while also lowering their carbon emissions. The cost and time frame for getting this solar park up and running still remains to be seen. But if all goes well, it could actually replace coal and nuclear energy.

Another area where solar power looks highly advantageous is in domestic water heating. In South Africa, 40% of the average household’s electric bill goes to heating water, and it constitutes 18% of the region’s total energy consumption. But in using energy from the sun—a completely free and sustainable resource—they can lower utility bills and prevent those harmful power outages of the past.

One of the sunniest areas in the world, South Africa’s solar power potential is huge. While the country has been dependent on coal for some time, officials are realizing how much solar can do to take the region from the world’s thirteenth largest emitter of CO2 to a leader in renewable energy commerce.

Solar energy could provide electricity for every home in the South Africa, a significant increase in jobs, and a more stable economy for the future. South Africa has set its sights on increasing renewable energy usage to 15% by 2030, but in truth, the possibilities are so much greater. Let’s hope they continue to reach higher.

Kayla Albert is CalFinder’s go-getter. From green home remodeling to solar power, she is always on the cutting edge of new trends. Find information about anything from solar panels to solar contractors at CalFinder.

Solar Power projects also creates many new positions

Mining Engineering
Mining engineering is a discipline that involves the practice, theory, science, technology, and application of extracting and processing minerals from a naturally occurring environment. Mining engineering also includes processing minerals for additional value.

Shaft

The need for mineral extraction and production is an essential activity of modern society. Mining activities by their nature cause a disturbance of the environment in and around which the minerals are located. Modern mining engineers must therefore be concerned not only with the production and processing of mineral commodities, but also with the mitigation of damage or to the environment as a result of that production and processing.

History of Mining Engineering
Since the beginning of civilization people have used stone, ceramics and, later, metals found on or close to the Earth’s surface. These were used to manufacture early tools and weapons. The oldest known mine on archaeological record is the “Lion Cave” in Swaziland. At this site, which by radiocarbon dating proves the mine to be about 43,000 years old, Palaeolithic humans mined mineral hematite, which contained iron and was ground to produce the red pigment ochre.
The ancient Romans were innovators of mining engineering. They developed large scale mining methods, especially the use of large volumes of water brought to the mine head by numerous aqueducts for hydraulic mining. The exposed rock was then attacked by fire-setting where fires were used to heat the rock, which would be quenched with a stream of water. The thermal shock cracked the rock, enabling it to be removed. In some mines the Romans utilized water-powered machinery such as reverse overshot water-wheels. These were used extensively in the copper mines at Rio Tinto in Spain, where one sequence comprised 16 such wheels arranged in pairs, and lifting water about 24 m
Black powder was first used in mining in Banská Štiavnica, Kingdom of Hungary present-day Slovakia in 1627. This allowed blasting of rock and earth to loosen and reveal ore veins, which was much faster than fire setting. The Industrial Revolution saw further advances in mining technologies, including improved explosives and steam-powered pumps, lifts and drills.
Mineral Exploration
Mining engineers are consulted for virtually every stage of a mining operation. The first role of engineering in mines is the discovery of a mineral deposit and the determination of the profitability of a mine.

Mineral Discovery
Mining engineers are involved in the mineral discovery stage by working with geologists to identify a mineral reserve. The first step in discovering an ore body is to determine what minerals to test for. The geologists and engineers drill core samples and conduct surface surveys searching for specific compounds and ores. For example a mining engineer and geologist may target metallic ores such as galena for lead or chalcolite for copper. A mining engineer may also search for a non-metal such as phosphate, quartz, or coal.

Mineral Determination
After a prospective mineral is located, the mining engineer then determines the ore properties. This may involve chemical analysis of the ore to determine the composition of the sample. Once the mineral properties are identified, the next step is determining the quantity of the ore. This involves determining the extent of the deposit as well as the purity of the ore. The engineer drills additional core samples to find the limits of the deposit or seam and calculates the quantity of valuable material present in the deposit.

Mine

Mining Operation
Mining engineers working in an established mine may work as an engineer for operations improvement, further mineral exploration, and operation capitalization by determining where in the mine to add equipment and personnel. The engineer may also work in supervision and management, or as an equipment and mineral salesperson. In addition to engineering and operations, the mining engineer may work as an environmental, health and safety manager or design engineer.
The act of mining required different methods of extraction depending on the mineralogy, geology, and location of the resources. Characteristics such as mineral hardness, the mineral stratification, and access to that mineral will determine the method of extraction.
Generally, mining is either done from the surface or underground. Mining can also occur with both surface and underground operations taking place on the same reserve. Mining activity varies as to what method is employed to remove the mineral.

Surface Mining
Surface comprises 90% of the world’s mineral tonnage output. Also called open pit mining, surface mining is removing minerals in formations that are at or near the surface. Ore retrieval is done by material removal from the land in its natural state. Surface mining often alters the land characteristics, shape, topography, and geological make-up.
Surface mining involves quarrying which is excavating minerals by means of machinery such as cutting, cleaving, and breaking. Explosives are usually used to facilitate breakage. Hard minerals such as limestone, sand, gravel, and slate are generally quarried into a series of benches.
Strip mining is done on softer minerals such as clays and phosphate is removed through use of mechanical shovels, track dozers, and front end loaders. Softer Coal seams can also be extracted this way.
With placer mining, minerals can also be removed from the bottoms of lakes, rivers, streams, and even the ocean by dredge mining. In addition, in-situ mining can be done from the surface using dissolving agents on the ore body and retrieving the ore via pumping. The pumped material is then set to leach for further processing. Hydraulic mining is utilized in forms of water jets to wash away either overburden or the ore itself.

Mining Process
Blasting
Explosives are used to break up a rock formation and aid in the collection of ore in a process called blasting. There are two types of explosives that can be used in mining: high velocity and low velocity. High velocity blasting uses high explosives while low velocity blasting is done with low explosives. Engineers determine the placement of the explosive charges and the blast sequence to efficiently and safely loosen the maximum amount of ore. They also are responsible for the safety of the miners by determining how best to support the rock ceiling in the newly-formed cave.

Mining Health and Safety
Legal attention to Mining Health and Safety began in the late 19th century and in the subsequent 20th century progressed to a comprehensive and stringent codification of enforcement and mandatory health and safety regulation. A mining engineer in whatever role they occupy must follow all federal, state, and local mine safety laws.

Mining and the Environment
A mining engineer may be involved at the end of the mine life cycle when mine reclamation operations are planned and carried out. They also decide how to close a mine that has ceased operations to keep the public safe.

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=481
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1924

What is supply chain management:
Supply Chain Management (SCM)
Management of the flow of materials, information, and finances. This process is to ensure that the company’s supply chain is cost-effective, and efficient. It is how a company transforms raw materials/components into a final sellable product in manageable steps.

There are various views on the different steps involved in supply chain management, but generally you can divide the flows into the following three main parts.
The Product flow – this includes the movement of goods from supplier to the customer. This also include the returns from the customer

The information flow – This involves things like the transmitting of orders, and keeping up to date with the status of delivery.

The finance flow – This has to do with all the payments, credit, etc.

You can also break down supply chain management into five different stages:
Plan
Develop
Make
Deliver
Return

Below are a few videos that will give you more insight on Supply Chain Management

Douglas M. Lambert, Director of The Global Supply Chain Forum and Fisher

Firstly what is a substation transformer?
It is a large encased group of metal plates about the size of a small house with 2 sets of insulated copper wires wrapped around the plates -an input and output – to convert a very high transmission supply line voltage – maybe 44 thousand volts to a lower voltage of 2200 volts that runs down the power line poles in your neighbourhood. Look at your street’s power poles and you will see a mini substation that converts he 2200 volt to 220 volts and may supply several homes.

to view the rest click on the link on the left :Wiki Answers

I’ve attached some videos so that you can get an idea of what substation transformers look, and sound like.  I’ve also included a video when things go wrong in a substation.

The following is what happens when they put on the transformers:

This is what it looks like when things are going wrong:

Communication in the near future can more than likely look like this.  Watch the following video.

Corning, a developer of touchscreen solutions, put together this video of what they think the future would  be like.   I must admit that the cellphones look a lot like an Iphone design.  But being able to work anywhere any time, that would have its benefits.

What would a the job function typically be of a stringing gear supervisor?

The stringing gear supervisor must be able to develop, implement and train staff on various procedures, and policies regarding their specific function.

Transmission Lines

The stringing gear supervisor must identify, and manage the maintenance requirements as well as acccessories.

This person normally reports directly to the Project Manager.

Qualifications you might need to do this type of position would normally be a minimum of a matric or N3/4.  This person must also have solid experience in the safety requirements, and implementations.

Equipment a stringing gear supervisor might work or oversee could include:

Zeck Drum Winch

Zeck Puller/Tensioner

What is a Millwright?

A millwright is a craftsman or tradesman engaged with the construction, maintenance and installation of heavy machinery that is used in various sectors of industry

Millwrigth

In the early years, millwrights were specialist carpenters, who designed and erected machines used for agriculture and food processing. They also created machines to process lumber and manufacture paper. In the early years of the industrial revolution, their skill sets changed and were pressed into service building of the earliest powered textile mills.

In the modern era wood was replaced with steel, and modern millwrights needed to combine the skills of several trades to successfully fabricate industrial machinery and to assemble machines from pre-fabricated parts. The modern millwright must also possess a keen insight into the reading and understanding of blueprints and schematics to assist in the construction and fabrication of complex systems.

One of the many duties of a millwright is tracing faults. In most cases the machine has to be dismantled before it is possible to determine where the fault lies. As it is often not possible to replace the defective component immediately, millwrights must be able to make temporary repairs, so that the machine can be used until the correct parts are available.

A thorough knowledge of the manufacturing of machine components is essential. The use of lathes, milling machines and grinders may be required to make customized parts or repairs.

In the course of work, millwrights are required to move, assemble and install machinery and equipment such as shafting, precision bearings, gear boxes, motors, mechanical clutches, conveyors, and tram rails, using hoists, pulleys, dollies, rollers, and trucks. In addition, a millwright may also perform all duties of general labourer, pipefitter, carpenter, and electrician.

A millwright may also perform some of the duties of a welder, such as arc welding, mig welding and oxyacetylene cutting.

Another important task of millwrights is electrical installation. They should be able to dismantle electrical motors and test for faults, check wiring, as well as determine power consumption. This includes other functions such as coupling of cables.

Millwrights usually work in the production section of factories, but sometimes also on sites. The fact that their working conditions change continually prevents their work from becoming monotonous.

Generally millwrights are unionized, although specialised millwrights tend to become independent contractors.

Millwrights also must have a good understanding of fluid mechanics (hydraulics and pneumatics), and all of the components involved in these processes, such as valves, cylinders, pumps and compressors.

Modern standards of practice for millwrights also require working within precise limits or standards of accuracy, at heights without fear; the use of logical step-by-step procedures in work; planning, solving problems and decision-making based on quantifiable information.

Millwrights are trained to work with a wide array of precision tools, such as vernier callipers, micrometers, dial indicators, levels, gauge blocks, and optical and laser alignment tooling.

Most millwrights are educated through apprenticeship programs where they receive a combination of classroom education along with a good deal of on-the-job training. Most programs last about four years. Apprentices are usually paid a percentage of the average millwright’s wage, and this percentage increases with experience

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=905

To quote straight from Wikipidia:”A supply chain is a system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer. Supply chain activities transform natural resources, raw materials and components into a finished product that is delivered to the end customer. In sophisticated supply chain systems, used products may re-enter the supply chain at any point where residual value is recyclable. Supply chains link value chains.”

In South Africa qualifications you would normally associate with the supply chain sector would include degrees and diplomas like: BCom Logistics or Supply Chain Management. BTech Purchasing Management or a BCom with Procurement experience.  These are just a few of the vast amount of qualifications available in the logistics/supply chain industry.  There are also numerous certificates that you can get i.e. supply chain management certificate, export certificate,Dangerous goods packaging/DG declaration certificates, logistics management

Lately as the world is getting more “flat” i.e. its is far easier today to get goods from across the globe to a specific destination, the demand for personal in the area of logistics and supply chain have dramatically increased.  In all areas from financial to office commercial to specific buyers and procurement personnel.  Certain companies see the need for more and more logistics personnel as they grow and they reach out into markets further away.  These days it is possible for a small company in Wilderness to do business globally and ship goods and information to basically any destination with great ease.

Below is a video with a basic overview of supply chain.

Efficient collaboration and knowledge exchange slideshow.  Discussion the classic approach to the latest 2.0 approach.  In this slideshow you can see how the nature of work has changed.  How work environments get more disconnected, and how to solve these complex environment problems.

Social media marketing is a new addition to the South African Organizations marketing arsenal. A good knowledge of SCRM (Social Customer Relationship Managing) is necessary.  In the traditional marketing model, the content, frequency, timing, and medium of communications by the organization is in collaboration with an external agent such as advertising agencies, marketing research firms, and public relations firms.

SCRM

Recently with the growth of the social media platform, South African companies have found a completely new way of communicating. With the emergence of Web 2.0, which is associated with web applications that facilitate interactive systemic biases, interoperability, user-centered design, and developing the World Wide Web, the internet provides a complete new set of tools that allow people to build social and business connections, share information and collaborate on projects online.  SCRM (Social Contact Relationship Marketing) stems from CRM (Customer Relationship Managing) and gets often referred to Social CRM.

Social media marketing programs usually centre on efforts to create content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it with their social networks. A corporate message spreads from user to user and presumably resonates because it is coming from a trusted source, as opposed to the brand or company itself.

Social media has is a unique platform that is easily accessible to anyone with internet access, creating new and exciting ways for South African organizations to increase their brand awareness and facilitate conversations with the customer

Social media marketing which is known as SMO, Social Media Optimization, benefits organizations and individuals by providing an additional channel for customer support, a means to gain customer and competitive insight, recruitment and retention of new customers, business partners, and a method of managing their reputation online.

Key factors that ensure its success are its relevance to the South African customer, the value it provides them with and the strength of the foundation on which it is built. A strong foundation serves as a stand or platform in which the organization can centralize its information and direct customers on its recent developments via other social media channels, such as article and press release publications.

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Solar energy is one of the ideal alternative energy solutions as it is found in abundance and is clean and does not pollute the environment and best of all, is free. In fact, even an hour of solar energy is enough to provide power for the entire planet for an entire three hundred and sixty-five days. At present, this alternative energy solution is not being utilized enough though it can prove to be just the right solution to secure our long term energy needs.

The source of solar renewable energy is the sun so there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking advantage of this kind of energy because we will never be able to use too much of the sun’s power. The sun will be always be there and if we are creative enough we will continue to search for ways to harvest this energy and use it as electrical and thermal power. The question is, could there be more advantages to solar renewable energy? And another thing we need to answer is what the benefits are and would “Now” be the time to invest?

Again when you see the benefits of solar renewable energy, you are probably going to wonder why you never make the switch to solar energy before.

The Savings of solar renewable energy

The main reason for most people to look towards solar energy, is cost-effectiveness. Yes, you do need to invest some initial capital because you need to get the system up and running. But this investment is needed to buy the equipment. And this equipment needs to be put together before you can harness the energy of the sun and create your own electricity to power your house. But like any good investment, you should be in the “green” in no time.

Once the investment has been paid off, you are going to be saving on your power bill, some people will no longer have an electricity bill, others will pay much less. This all depends on the investment you make.

Solar Energy Efficiency Benefits

The efficiency factor is the second huge benefit of solar renewable energy. The power from the sun is so efficient, and it can be used for everything. Simple examples are things like lighting the garden pathway, security lights, or heating the pool. There are so many small devices that run on solar energy, that this alone can save you a lot of money. Together with residential solar panels you can switch from regular electricity to solar renewable energy.

Environmental Benefits

For the future of the earth you need to understand that one of the most important benefits is the environment. The amount of electricity we use is the cause of extreme issues like global warming and pollution of the environment. When we start using the sun to its fullest capacity we are using a completely natural and environmentally friendly energy source and we no longer need to worry about pollution because we know that we are not doing any more damage to the earth.

Understanding your Salary Breakdown

Many people do not understand how their pay slip/salary advice is made up, and most people only know what they take home a bank balance.

You need to know the difference between your Total Cost to Company, your Basic/Cash component and your Nett.

Before accepting an offer of employment, you need to be informed and fully understand what is your monetary breakdown so that you do not make a loss, even if you are unaware of making a loss when you move. Some benefits are not cash benefits and are benefits directly paid by the company. Money which you never see, nevertheless, it is money paid on your behalf, that you do not pay directly yourself, therefore it becomes a benefit to you.
Basic Salary:

Your “Basic Salary” is the salary amount paid to you before you get any additional benefits from the employer such as medical aid, pension, and various allowances which are added in over and above your basic salary. So, your basic salary is the part of your salary that is a fixed amount every month. This amount does not include overtime pay and any bonuses or 13th cheques etc..

Gross Salary:

Your “Gross Salary” is the salary amount paid to where this amount includes all your benefits and allowances as well as bonus and overtime. Take note that this amount which includes your basic plus benefits is the total amount before any tax is deducted.

For example:

Gross Salary =

• Basic Salary
• Your contribution to Medical Aid, Pension/Provident fund, etc
• Allowances such as Travel, Entertainment, Computer, Cell phone, etc
• Overtime and Bonus for the specific period.Nett Salary:
  
  Your “Nett Salary” is what is left of your salary after all deductions have been made as well as for PAYE (tax), UIF etc. This is also the amount that is paid into your bank account on a monthly basis. In certain cases, you may have other deductions if you have taken out a loan or bond re-payments and these may be deducted after the nett salary is calculated. So the salary paid into your bank account would be your nett salary less these repayments. Nett salary is also referred to as “take home pay” – the money in your pocket at the end of the month.

  Cost To Company
  
  This term is used to calculate the total cost to the Company to employ you. i.e. all the costs the company has to make associated with your employment contract. Cost to Company could include the following:

  • Gross salary
  • Company contributions to Medical, Pension/provident, UIF, SDL, Group insurance etc.
  • 13th Cheque and Bonuses
  • Use of company property such as car, petrol card, computer/notebook, software etc.
  • Cost of any loans, bursaries and interest free or low interest loans
  • Cost of any expenses paid on your behalf such as insurance & telephone at home etc.
  • Costs of share options & incentive schemes etc.
  • On Target Earnings (OTE)

OTE (On Target Earnings)

This is a form of salary that is variable in nature.  This salary structure is usually paid in sales-related jobs where one would usually get a basic salary and then a commission portion over and above the basic should one reach their targets; this is referred to as OTE. So the company pays a basic salary and then pays commission on sales one generates for the company. The commission generally kicks in only once you have made a predetermined sales target. There are various ways that the commission is calculated and almost every company has its own commission structures.

While silicon is actually the market normal semiconductor in most electrical units, which includes the solar cells that pv panels employ to transform sunlight into electricity, it is hardly the most cost-efficient component available. For example, the semiconductor gallium arsenide and related ingredient semiconductors give practically double the efficiency as silicon in photo voltaic devices, yet they are rarely utilized in utility-scale applications mainly because of their high construction price.

U. of I. (http://illinois.edu/) professors J. Rogers and X. Li researched lower-cost ways to produce thin films of gallium arsenide which also allowed adaptability in the types of devices they could be incorporated into.

If you could reduce significantly the cost of gallium arsenide and some other compound semiconductors, then you can increase their own range of applications.

Typically, gallium arsenide is transferred in a individual thin layer on a smaller wafer. Either the needed unit is created right on the wafer, or the semiconductor-coated wafer is cut up into chips of the preferred size. The Illinois team considered to deposit multiple layers of the material on a simple wafer, making a layered, “pancake” stack of gallium arsenide thin films.

If you increase 10 levels in one growth, you only have to fill the wafer one time. If you do this in ten growths, loading and unloading with heat range ramp-up as well as ramp-down get a lot of time. If you consider what is needed for each growth – the equipment, the planning, the time, the workers – the overhead saving this technique offers is a considerable cost decrease.

After that the scientists separately peel off the layers and transfer them. To complete this, the stacks alternate layers of aluminum arsenide with the gallium arsenide. Bathing the stacks in a formula of acid and an oxidizing agent dissolves the levels of aluminum arsenide, freeing the individual small sheets of gallium arsenide. A soft stamp-like system picks up the levels, one at a time from the top down, for move to another substrate – glass, plastic material or silicon, depending on the application. After that the wafer could be reused for one more growth.

By performing this it’s possible to produce significantly more material a lot more quickly and a lot more cost efficiently. This process could make bulk amounts of material, as compared to just the thin single-layer method in which it is generally grown.

Freeing the material from the wafer additionally starts the probability of flexible, thin-film electronics made with gallium arsenide or additional high-speed semiconductors. To make products which could conform but still keep high efficiency, which is considerable.

In a document shared on-line May twenty in the magazine Nature (http://www.nature.com/), the group details its techniques and shows three kinds of units utilizing gallium arsenide chips produced in multilayer stacks: light devices, high-speed transistors and solar cells. The creators also offer a comprehensive price comparability.

One more advantage associated with the multilayer technique is the release from area constraints, especially important for solar cells. As the levels are eliminated from the stack, they could be laid out side-by-side on another substrate in order to create a much greater surface area, whereas the standard single-layer procedure confines area to the dimension of the wafer.

For solar panels, you want large area coverage to catch as much sunshine as possible. In an extreme situation we could develop sufficient levels to have ten times the area of the standard.

Next, the group programs to investigate more prospective item applications and additional semiconductor resources which could adapt to multilayer growth.

About the Author – Shannon Combs publishes articles for the <a href=”http://www.residentialsolarpanels.org/”>residential solar power savings</a> website, her personal hobby website centered on guidelines to help home owners to conserve energy with sun power.

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