SAAE International Workshop on Challenges of the Engineering Skills Shortage
Printer-friendly versionThe SAAE, with the support of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Pretoria, organized this Workshop with the aim to develop firm recommendations as a basis for a Master Plan for South Africa to assist in addressing the Challenges of the Engineering Skills Shortage through the activities of JIPSA (Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition) which is a subcommittee of ASGISA (Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa). The Workshop formed part of the Centenary Celebration Programme of the University of Pretoria and was sponsored by Anglo American PLC.
DST opening the workshop.
The Academies of Engineering of the UK, India and Australia, Fellows of the SAAE, representatives of JIPSA, individuals from tertiary education institutions, South African Engineering Institutions, the relevant Government Departments, ASSAf , BUSA, parastatals, trade unions and other important stakeholders from the private sector were invited to contribute to and attend the Workshop. The chosen venue allowed for a maximum of eighty participants.
Although some participants could not attend all the sessions of the workshop due to work commitments, some seventy participants attended the sessions on the 3rd of March and some fifty on the 4th of March.
Participants were welcomed on behalf of the SAAE by Dr Bingle Kruger, President of SAAE and on behalf of UP by Prof Calie Pistorius, Vice-chancellor of the University of Pretoria. Dr Phil Mjwara, Director General, Dept of Science and Technology opened the Workshop officially by spelling out the goals of the Workshop. Clem Sunter of Anglo American delivered the keynote address entitled Positioning South Africa Globally (see article in the March issue of Leadership Magazine).
The following presentations were delivered:
- Human Resources for Research and Innovation– Dr Rob Adam, CEO, NECSA
- Royal Academy of Engineering: British Perspective – Prof David Nethercot OBE FREng, Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London.
- Indian National Academy of Engineering – Asian Perspective: Employability of Engineering Graduates – Issues and Concerns – Prof R Natarajan , Former Vice-President, INAE
Trueman Goba, President
of ECSA and Fellow of
SAAE addressing the
workshop.
Prof Natarajan (INAE)
presenting a paper. - Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering –Australian Perspective – Mr Peter Laver AM FTSE, ATSE Vice President
- The Civil Engineering Skills development Challenge in SA- Numbers and Needs Update- Allyson Lawless
- Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) –South Africa as a Role Player in the Global Business and Economic Business Environment- Vic van Vuuren
- Dept of Education –The ability of the Education System to rise to the Challenge- Prof Chika Sehoole.
- ASSAf – The Skills Dilemma facing South Africa – Prof Robin Crewe, President of ASSAf.
- Trade Union’s Viewpoint: Cosatu –Our Skills Challenge – A view from Labour– Rudi Dicks.
- ECSA –A Perspective on the Professional Scene– Trueman Goba, President of ECSA
- South African Academy of Engineering – Setting the total Scene: A Marshall Plan – A Link toward Workforce Recovery and Development– Prof Fred Hugo.
chairman of the
organizing committee
The following topics were discussed by eight discussion groups during the first break-away session:
- How do we increase the workforce supply? Making a specific field a career choice and improving retention of tertiary science and engineering students?
- How do we ensure that the new workforce is ready? Developing and improving post school programmes for specific or specialty areas?
- How do we ensure that school learners develop an affinity for trades required by the industry-at-large?
What can we learn from global workforce development trends? - How do we create an attractive and safe science, engineering and technology environment and achieve awareness and buy-in of the nation?
- How do we develop and implement a workforce strategy for organizations?
- How do we ensure that the new workforce is ready for evolving organizational needs? Developing and improving tertiary programmes for specific or specialty areas?
- How do we (re-)educate the teachers of science and mathematics?
- How do we improve management skills?
the Cosatu perspective.
During the second break-away session the following topics were discussed by the groups:
- How do we marry the needs of industry and institutions
- How do we get the community to buy into Science Technology Engineering and Management (STEM).
- How do we get technocrats in at the top of corporations
- How do we get teachers trained/retrained and brought back into the system
- How do we implement internships. Is this in competition with learnerships? Is the system fully in place to ensure sustainability
- Should we screen students?/ How do we make trades “cool?”
- Trade unions have a role in the training of artisans; re-activate training centres.
- Technicians, technologists: Redefine Role of Technical Universities
- How did the large employers manage to train so many artisans? Incentives?
Prof David Nethercot listening attentively during the
panel discussion.
The discussion groups reported back during two Feedback sessions. Subsequently the feedback was debated in a panel discussion including representatives of the foreign Academies and some of the other presenters. Fellows Roy Marcus and Fred Hugo were facilitators for the discussion.
The Workshop was concluded under Chairmanship of Fellow Bob Pullen by the presentation of Fellow Fred Hugo. This included consideration and approval of motions relating to the proposed Marshall Plan and formulation of an implementation strategy. The motions and implementation strategy are to be presented to the Deputy-President and representatives of JIPSA at a post-workshop session for consideration of further action.
OUTCOME OF THE WORKSHOP