Industrial Secondment as a Tool to Enrich Engineering Education in Southern Africa

Abstract

Research determined that Southern Africa lacks engineering capacity. This is attributed not only to low numbers of qualified engineers but insufficient skills and experience held by some of the few local engineers. This is compounded by the fact that the majority of institutions that offer engineering training in Southern Africa have outdated equipment and machinery for training of students. Engineering lecturers spend most of their time in universities and little time in industry; hence, they are behind in requisite knowledge of current technological advances and this cascades into their delivery of teaching, producing a graduate who may not be in tandem with industrial needs. This paper explores the benefits of secondment as a tool for enriching engineering education in Southern Africa. It also highlights case studies of academic staff in the UK and the University of Zimbabwe who have been on industrial secondment and finally recommends a way forward to enrich engineering education.