Electricity + Control February 2018

NOT TO BE MISSED

Africa Energy Indaba 20 – 21 February 2018

Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg Are you an energy innovator or future energy disrupter? Do you represent the latest in energy efficiency, energy conservation, green building technologies or renewable energy solutions? Are you a new or established energy company looking for customers, clients and suppliers? Enquiries: Email louise@energyindaba.co.za A-OSH EXPO/Securex South Africa 2018 22 to 24 May 2018 Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand Africa’s leading occupational health and safety (OHS) trade exhibition. Enquiries: Email info@aosh.co.za Manufacturing Indaba is the leading manu- facturing event in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of the annual Manufacturing Indaba and its provincial roadshows is to bring together business owners, industry leaders, government officials, capital providers and professional experts to explore opportunities and grow their manufacturing operations. Enquiries: Email thembisa@siyenzaevents.co.za Manufacturing Indaba 2018 19 – 20 June 2018 POWER-GEN & DistribuTECH Africa 17 – 19 July 2018 Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg A forum that brings together international business leaders and technical experts com- mitted to powering up a continent. Enquiries: Visit www. powergenafrica.com/2018/html

We invited Carel Ballack (Energy Consultant to PQRS) to Write @ the Back – and he asks: ‘When will old school be new school?’ Training a Super Breed of Electrician

W ithin industry registered electricians are listed with the Department of Labour as single phase testers, installation electricians and master electricians. There must have been a stage where just three grades of electrical spe- cialisation was deemed adequate. Advancement in technology and control is dictating that change is imminent.

The electrical sector is speeding towards ad- vancement in measurement and control where an increasing number of devices and applianc- es make use of, or are operated through some form of computer-mediated communication. As an example, high-end taps now have electrical connections that are activated by movement, so- lar inverters all communicate or have the ability to communicate with a central unit in one way or the other, by using a cell-phone coupled with some creative coding almost any device can be switched on or off from anywhere in the world. Electrical trade tests and existing unit stand- ards do not make provision for electricians to be specialised beyond the scope of a labelling foun- dation that is more than 40 years old. According to the Department of Higher Education’s latest QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupa- tions); a platform that was created to ‘renew’ the training environment, electricians write a ‘basic’ trade test that allows them to be an electrician. Further studies would then allow them to specialise in any field such as automotive electrician, boat/ship electrician, etc. In Europe a ‘Solarteur’ is a specialist trade that crosses the boundaries between electricity, water and refrigeration. It may be a matter of time before industry locally would have to consider raising the

bar by adding specialist occupations within the Department of Labour’s sta- ble of trades allowed through regulation to work on electrical installations. Changes in training regimes and practices go hand in hand with advance- ment and progress in technology. I am looking forward to the day when tradesmen (and women) can stand proud as recognised specialists in their chosen renewable field and occu- pation.

Electra Mining Africa 10 – 14 September 2018

Expo Centre, Nasrec in Johannesburg Gateway into Africa for further business expansion. Enquiries: Visit www.electramining.co.za

Enquiries: Email carel.ballack@pqrs.co.za

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

ACDC Dynamics................................................OBC Comtest..........................................................31 Countapulse Controls.......................................21 ELPA........................................................................6 ifm electronic...........................................................OFC Phoenix Contact.............................................11

Schneider Electric........................................IFC SMC Pneumatics..........................................IBC Transelectron...........................................3 VEGA..........................................................27 WIKA................................................................25 WILEC..............................................................33

40 Electricity + Control

FEBRUARY 2018