Two VUT student engineering societies join forces and host an informative workshop for the benefit of their constituencies
By: Tshepiso Kaibe – 27 March 2024
The Operations Management and Industrial Engineering Students Society (OMIESSO), in collaboration with the South African Institute of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE) Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Student Chapter, under the leadership of the lecturers Ms TM Mallane and Mr TM Kibonge, hosted a joint workshop on 14 March 2024.
The event aimed at providing a brief introduction to students under Industrial Engineering, Operations Management and Mechanical Engineering (IEOMME) discipline and providing insights to the current cohort on what to expect upon completion of studies.
The workshop featured various guest speakers including Chairpersons of the two student societies – OMIESSO and SAIMechE, Mr. Eudes Tshitshonu of the VUT Mechanical Engineering lecturers, Mr. Edwin Mabelane from Co-Operative Education Department at VUT, Mr. Michael Ramaleba from the Centre for Academic Development (CAD) under the Maths, Science, Engineering, Technology (MSET) department and many more.
OMIESSO and SAIMechE expressed plans to collaborate in an effort to assist students in bridging the gap between learning and the industry. As a result, the merger aims to create a more comprehensive and cohesive approach to problem solving in the field of IOMME by joining forces. Students will be able to gain a broader understanding of how different aspects of Engineering and management intersect and influence each other.
One of the key presentations of the day, from ECSA, the only statutory agency in South Africa that provides a recognized registration system for engineers both locally and internationally, emphasized their primary goal of offering accreditation in engineering programs. According to Mr Tshitshonu, registration with ECSA ensures that the student is marketable in the workplace by providing extra objective evidence of competence. It also helps students stay up to date on professional engineering standards. “Professionals must be internationally competitive as globalization accelerates. Thus, registration ensures that South African engineers are recognized by other countries, which has both socio-economic and political benefits,” he added
Mr. Mabelane of Co-Operative Education also presented about the requirements and necessity of completing the standard six-month minimum Work Integrated Learning (WIL), as well as the actions to take while registering for this program. “This entails being placed at any validated company, fulfilling specific hours, and completing all theoretical subjects,” he said. He also explained the services provided by his department to students, which include, but are not limited to, employability workshops, CV writing courses, interview and job search training, and more.
Mr. Ramaleba on the other hand, spoke on the academic aid provided to students, such as free tutors on standby and online consultation for subjects such as Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
The event included a lively interaction led by Ms. Sanele Nxumalo of CAD under Mentorship, with prizes awarded to anyone who could answer questions about the workshop’s topics. Prizes included VUT-branded t-shirts, among others.
The chairs of OMIESSO and SAIMechE, Mr. Eugene Matlala and Ms. Andile Hlophe, spoke on behalf of their respective student societies and discussed the difficulties the structures faced. “Our biggest obstacle currently is the procedure we must follow to obtain functional rights so that we may hold events. Thus, that restricts us to merely hosting activities rather than events.” Nonetheless, they indicated how excited they were to work together to reach as many engineering students as possible within the university