JOHANNESBURG, Tuesday, 14 November 2023 - Empact Group Food Solutions is thrilled to announce the successful completion of the Artisan Chef Practical examinations. This milestone event took place on Tuesday, 14th November 2023, and marked the culmination of an exciting year for our aspiring chefs as they embarked on their 3-year Occupational Chefs qualification journey.

Empact Group Food Solutions, a values-based solutions business specialising in catering, cleaning, and integrated facilities management, is delighted to announce the successful completion of the first cohort of its three-year Occupational Qualification. This milestone not only marks a significant achievement for the 17 students who completed the first year but also reflects Empact Group’s commitment to its employees, referred to affectionately as ‘Empactors’.

In 2022, Empact Group initiated a unique opportunity for its staff by inviting them to submit applications for their family members. The objective was clear – to extend the ethos of “Do Right By You” and support Empactors by providing their family members with a chance for personal and professional growth. The selected candidates, numbering 17 in this inaugural cohort, underwent a rigorous selection process, which included submitting application forms, providing motivations, and participating in assessments and interviews.

Colette Herbst, Learning and Development Specialist at Empact Group Food Solutions, expresses the significance of this learnership programme: “This initiative is about building South Africa’s future for these young people. We want to empower them, and our ultimate goal is to employ these young graduates. This is an opportunity that most of them never dreamed they would have – a year ago, life was looking pretty bleak for most of them. To see them succeeding is exactly why we do this.”

The Occupational Qualification, run in partnership with NDS Chefs Academy, is a comprehensive curriculum that includes theory classes held at the training centre in Empact’s offices in Linbro Park. The practical element of the first year took place at hospital sites where Empact holds contracts, providing students with hands-on experience in a real-world environment.

Importantly, Empact Group with the support of CATHSSETA covers the cost of tuition, and all candidates receive a stipend to support them during their studies. The end goal of this programme is to employ the graduates back into Empact as a business, nurturing a cycle of growth within the company.

Lebo Lekotoko, the owner of NDS Chefs Academy and an Empact ESD programme graduate herself, oversees the training program. The selection criteria for candidates included being under the age of 27, holding a valid Matric certificate, and demonstrating proficiency in English. The interview process assessed candidates’ communication and conflict resolution skills through role-playing scenarios, ensuring they are well-prepared for the challenges of a kitchen environment.

At the first-year final practical exam, the candidates showcased their culinary skills by preparing a three-course meal for 25 people. This encompassed menu development, costing, staff scheduling, preparation, table scape, and serving – a comprehensive test of their abilities and readiness for the culinary industry.

Empact Group Food Solutions truly embraces this Occupational Qualification initiative, illustrating a genuine partnership with NDS Chefs Academy and a commitment to the success of the students who may one day become Empactors themselves. This program embodies empowerment and serves as a beacon of hope for the future of culinary education and career development.

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DISTRIBUTED ON BEHALF OF EMPACT GROUP by ANGELFISH PR & EVENTS.
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ABOUT EMPACT GROUP
At Empact we are on a journey – a journey to do our best and be the best for our people, our clients, our partners, our community and our planet.

This is the passion that drives us to be the preferred, purpose led partner for catering, cleaning and integrated facilities management solutions in Southern Africa; known for our skilled and caring people, our consistent excellence in service delivery and the value we create for our clients.

As a client centric values-based solutions business we aim to consistently create value for our stakeholders all while prioritising our people, protecting and nurturing our planet and positively impacting our communities.

Each of our bespoke, multi-service solutions are uniquely designed to solve our clients’ problems – allowing you to concentrate on your core business; knowing that all your non-core activities are being managed in the safest, most effective and most cost-efficient manner possible.

This is how we care, create value, deliver impact and do right by you.

Food Solutions
Food by Empact Group delivers an extensive range of catering and support solutions for the corporate, industrial, healthcare, education, remote, offshore, mining, retirement and lifestyle sectors. From fine dining to corporate canteens, from grab-and-go to harvest tables and delicious canapés, from a nutritious smoothie to delicious coffee, food is our passion. We understand that food is an essential part of your employees’ wellbeing – so we bring you award-winning chefs, varied menus, world-class service and the freshest, most nutritional ingredients.

Cleaning Solutions
Supercare by Empact Group offers contract and specialised cleaning for a wide range of commercial, industrial, healthcare, education, transport and retail environments.

Our professionally trained and caring staff and management team are dedicated to legal compliance, service excellence with health and safety being our number one priority.

Our safety standards are extremely stringent, putting our people and the environment first. To uplift and empower our people, and allow them to better service your company, we run training centres nationally that develop skills at all levels.

Hygiene and Pest Management Solutions
Supercare by Empact Group delivers outstanding hygiene and pest management solutions to the highest standards of excellence to all industries and environments.

In a post COVID-19 world, hygiene in the workplace has never been more important.

Our products are environmentally friendly, our safety standards are of the highest quality, our staff are professionally trained and our commitment to service excellence is unmatched – all so that we can offer you and your people total peace of mind.

Integrated Facilities Management Solutions
Facilities by Empact Group provides support services and integrated facilities management solutions for diverse industries, including mining, commercial/corporate, offshore and remote sites.

Our management model offers total integrated facilities management services, which are predominantly self-performed by our staff. From corporate offices to large industrial power plants and campuses, our expertise in Facilities Management is consistently growing and evolving.

Our approach and expertise provide cost certainty and all the reassurance you need to get on with your core responsibilities, confidently knowing that we will do right by your facility.

Level 1 BBBEE Certified
Empact Group (formerly Compass Group Southern Africa) is 100% owned by Thebe Investment Corporation (Pty) Ltd (TIC); a pioneering black owned company that uses its business success to transform lives and make a difference in our communities.

We are rated as a Level 1 BBBEE Contributor with a 135% BBBEE supplier recognition, 89.53% black economic interest and 36.34% black women economic interest.

Our level 1 rating forms part of our strategic Transformation Pledge, as we see transformation as a principal and dynamic business process contributing to our competitive edge – a key part of us doing right for society.