Work ready
WORKERS: Industrial Engineering students are participating in the Employability Improvement Programme
Thursday, 27 November 2014
A group of Industrial Engineering students are set to hit the ground running when they start their Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programme early next year.
The class is participating in the Employability Improvement Programme, which sees them complete various tasks based on Kaizen methods. These methods demonstrate the importance of workflow, time management and the correct utilisation of resources in the workplace.
This initiative is a colloboration between the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The pilot was rolled out earlier this year at universities and lecturers from the Faculties of Engineering Applied Sciences participated in the training.
Realising the benefits of this innovative programme, Work Integrated Learning Coordinators for Industrial Engineering, Desiree Jaftha and Reginald Rispel, piloted the training and their efforts have already paid off.
COMPLETED: One of the trucks manufactured by students
“We implemented it on a trial basis and it has helped bridge the gap between the employers’ expectations and the expectations of the students,” says Rispel.
The programme sees students work in an assembly line and hand-assemble more than 20 miniature size trucks, with the process timed and monitored. This exercise also improves student’s soft skills like teamwork, innovation and time management.
Jaftha says they have had positive feedback from companies.
“The mentors usually guide students for the first three months, but this time they say students are able to identify problem areas and recommend strategies for waste elimination immediately after entering the workplace,” she says.
Through this intervention students have managed to bring about huge cost savings in manufacturing and service delivery companies, with several securing permanent contracts at the companies were they are currently placed.
“We see significant value in this training and decided we need to train all our students before they go into the workplace.”
The Employability Improvement Programme is now a permanent feature in the Industrial Engineering curriculum.
ASSEMBLY LINE: Each student has their own work station and has to perform a specific task in manufacturing of the trucks
Written by Candes Keating
Email: keatingc@cput.ac.za
Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.
News categories
- Advancement 13
- Alumni 77
- Awards 46
- Campus Life 20
- Community Engagement 162
- Disability Unit 12
- Applied Sciences 108
- Business & Management Sciences 95
- Education 97
- Engineering & the Built Environment 142
- Health & Wellness Sciences 117
- Informatics & Design 82
- Fundani CHED 24
- Funding 17
- GBV 16
- Graduation 88
- HIV/Aids Unit 39
- Know Your CPUT 65
- Libraries 18
- News 3790
- RTIP 297
- Residences (Accommodation) 15
- Staff 660
- SIIP 37
- Students 1311
- Student Health 44
- Sport, Arts & Culture 126
- SRC 4
- Student Affairs 11
- University Leadership 19
- Varsity Shield 17
- Vice-Chancellor 22
- Work-Integrated Learning 21
- THENSA 11
