Electricity + Control October 2015

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Editor:
Wendy Izgorsek
Design & Layout:
Adél JvR Bothma
Advertising Managers:
Helen Couvaras and
Heidi Jandrell
Circulation:
Karen Smith
Publisher:
Karen Grant
EditorialTechnical
Director:
Ian Jandrell
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Quarter 2 (April - June 2015)
Total print circulation: 4 735
The views expressed in this publication are
not necessarily those of the publisher, the
editor, SAAEs, SAEE, CESA, IESSA or the
Copper Development Association Africa
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Ihave been visiting a number of universities
around the country recently – in major centres as
well as in more far out regions. The focus of the
interactions has been around engineering – various
disciplines, and in various states of delivery.
What inspires me is the fact that in this country
there seem to be many youngsters interested in a
career in engineering.
I am fully aware of the discussions around prepar-
edness of students – and there are real problems.
However, youngsters in South Africa, in general, are
NOT scared of Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics (STEM).
A cynic may argue that it is because we make it
too easy! But the fact of the matter remains – as a
nation we are winning the hearts and minds of the
youngsters in the STEM space.
As an indication, I am aware of an institution that
received well over 17 000 applications for about
1 000 places in engineering programmes. Look at
the opportunity we may be missing.
More importantly, the case that we need to make is
that engineering, as a profession, is like a big room
with multiple doorways. Only one of those is via the
Bachelors degree in Engineering.
It is important to review the pyramid of skills, and
emphasise that the base of the pyramid is increas-
ingly being made up of unskilled and semi-skilled
labour. Above that band we have the artisan band
– again this will include semi-skilled and skilled
people.
It is at the base of the pyramid that we need to
build capacity and that requires a massive rebuild-
ing of skills. It is clear that, in many current major
projects, we are importing artisans. This makes no
sense at all.
The challenge is to prepare the skills in advance of
the projects; this is frankly something we are poor
at getting right.
Our Technical and Vocational Education and Train-
ing (TVET) Colleges need to be driving these initia-
tives, with the support of industry.
Then we have the technicians, technologists and en-
gineers. Again, we need to recognise that we need
more technicians than technologists and engineers.
Why do I emphasise this? Well, one reason is
that every youngster seems to be driven to be an
engineer. I worry that of the 16 000 who are NOT
successful in getting a place in a Bachelors degree
in engineering (and this is at only one institution)
may not consider entering the room via one of the
other doors.
What is even worse, they may opt for something
else – like law or accounting.
We need these technical skills, and we need to
nurture them at all levels.
It is critical that each one of us in the profession
makes it our business to engage schools, engage
teachers, even if only at our own children’s schools
(or, dare I say it, our grandchildren) to assist in
describing the progression and the doorways that
we can see them enter.
I am completely convinced that we need to develop
these skills well ahead of the growth that is surely to
come. Further, as a principle, we should understand
that it is not possible to over-produce technical skills
in any nation.
On the entire African continent, I have been advised
that only one country is actually producing enough
engineers for its economy. It is not a southern
African country!
Ian Jandrell
Pr Eng,
BSc (Eng) GDE PhD,
FSAIEE SMIEEE
COMMENT
1 October ‘15 Electricity+Control