Vesconite Bearings is celebrating a significant achievement as four apprentices completed their artisan qualifications this year. The newly qualified artisans are Ruben Breedt, Shanelle Potgieter, Liané Pretorius and Kevin Smit. Their achievement marks another positive step in the company’s long-standing commitment to developing technical talent for the South African manufacturing sector.
This year’s cohort brings special recognition. Two of the four successful candidates are women. Shanelle Potgieter and Liané Pretorius are the first female artisans to qualify through Vesconite Bearings’ apprenticeship programme. Their accomplishment highlights the company’s ongoing efforts to broaden participation in engineering trades and create opportunities for underrepresented groups in technical fields.
Ruben Breedt and Kevin Smit, like Potgieter and Pretorius, also bring valuable technical expertise and a strong commitment to practical problem-solving, reinforcing the depth of skills emerging from the company’s training pipeline.
Vesconite Bearings has been training artisans since 1994. Over the decades, the company has refined and expanded its approach to artisan development. This has resulted in a robust pipeline of technically skilled professionals who contribute to the company’s production, training and skills development.
In the post-pandemic period between 2021 and 2025, the company has averaged five newly qualified artisans each year. This consistent output demonstrates the strength and structure of Vesconite Bearings’ training systems as well as its commitment to industry-wide skills development.
The company’s apprenticeship programme focuses on fitting and turning. It is designed to ensure that graduates meet South Africa’s national technical standards and the company’s own high-performance expectations. They are immersed in Vesconite Bearings’ machining environment, where they learn to operate both manual and digital CNC equipment. This dual exposure equips them with a deep understanding of traditional machining principles as well as the precision and efficiency required in modern CNC-controlled production.
According to Vesconite Bearings’ CEO, Dr Jean-Patrick Leger, the success of this year’s artisans reinforces the importance of long-term investment in people. The company views skills development as central to its growth strategy. It attributes the continued strength of its apprenticeship programme to experienced mentors, structured learning pathways and exposure to real-world manufacturing challenges.
The four new artisans have moved into roles where they can apply their newly formalised expertise. Their qualification also strengthens Vesconite Bearings’ capacity in machining and production as demand continues to grow in both local and international markets.
Well done to Ruben, Shanelle, Liané and Kevin!
