It has been proven time and again that for one to gain a lucrative entry into the job market, one needs a qualification and hands-on training with the most relevant and latest technology that gives one a competitive edge. With a near 100 percent pass and placement rate, students at the Eastcape Midlands College in Uitenhage now fall squarely within this category.  The Eskom Development Foundation donated all the equipment for the college’s electrical and mechanical engineering workshop and according to lecturers, the college’s pass rate and general quality of work in the core subjects have substantially improved. The core subjects in the school of engineering include electrical workmanship, automotive repair maintenance, electronic control and digital electronics, which “play the biggest part with regard to the quality of the practical training,” says campus manager, Tommy Brown.  

Electrical engineering lecturer Phillip Ferreira says: “We are a world-class technical training college with training of the highest standard and we have indeed been taken to the next level of quality teaching, learning and assessment. Our students are getting the best exposure to what they will literally find in real scenarios in the working world. This is very important in terms of what we do, and this is why all our students who have completed a level four have been placed and employed by commercial and electrical engineering businesses.” Tommy Brown, says: “Our students are more in demand in commerce and industry for employment because of the value of the equipment in the electrical and mechanical engineering workshop. The school of engineering has also contributed to the positive image of the campus.”

The college’ s school of engineering reports that they have seen a dramatic improvement in the results of their top three students  with above average performance in all their level four core subjects. Nwabisa Mokoena, Andisa Wambi and Heinrich Nell are also Eskom bursary students who will be placed in the company upon completion of their studies. This commitment to skills development and capacity building at further education and training (FET) colleges is one of the Eskom Development Foundation’s strategic initiatives. The Foundation is committed to equipping electrical and mechanical engineering workshops at selected FET colleges across the country, as well as funding renovations necessary to create environments  conducive to successful teaching and learning.  Says Haylene Liberty, CEO of the Eskom Development Foundation:  “Eskom has a long-standing relationship with the Eastcape Midlands College as well as many other FET colleges across the country, supporting capacity building and skills development. As one of South Africa’s largest employers of people with a technical education background, Eskom benefits directly from the skills development of our young workforce. More importantly, the students at the supported FET colleges benefit from Eskom’s engagement with their colleges and ultimately our economy and society as a whole will reap the benefits of a skillful and experienced workforce.”