DTC Sightholder, Exelco International, has launched their industry?s leading Batswana Employee Skills Transfer program (BEST), sending the first of 60 Batswana trainees to Thailand, to be trained in diamond cutting ahead of the launch of their new cutting facility in Botswana.
Exelco is due to open H&A Botswana in January 2008, in Gaborone. H&A Botswana will be the sister factory to H&A Thailand, which has lead the diamond cutting industry since its inception in 1999, achieving ultra high levels of Hearts & Arrows Ideal Cut Diamonds.
Exelco is unique in the structure of its BEST program, investing significantly in placing Batswana in their Thai facility. In rotations of 20 people, staff will spend over 6 months each at the sister factory, developing their skills.
They will then be accompanied back to Botswana with their mentors from Thailand, to develop a similar facility in Gaborone. It is anticipated that over the next two years, over 60 Batswana will participate in BEST.
?You travel with the hopes of the Government, Debswana, and, of course, Exelco & H&A. You will return, later this year, armed with the skills which will enable you to bring to Botswana what it truly deserves: the harnessing of the true value of the worlds most rare and beautiful product – The Diamond,? Lior Kunstler, Managing Partner of Exelco, said during a gala dinner at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve.
Exelco?s excellent track record of staff welfare and social accountability will continue in the new factory in Botswana, with the industry?s leading staff support facilities. These will include family healthcare and HIV support, teaching, and social & recreational facilities.
?We are delighted to be offering our employees industry leading support, to develop what will undoubtedly result in the industry leading facility in Botswana. We look forward to working with our employees to bring this vision to life over the next year,? Sam Mothibi, General Manager of H&A Botswana, said.
