The Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment recently awarded bursaries to twenty bright students.

Luvuyo Kakaza, the faculty’s Student Engagement Co-ordinator, said the bursaries ranged from R10 000 to R50 000 and were awarded based on academic performance and financial need. Some of the students had enrolled for 12 subjects last year and passed all of them.

Kakaza said the Faculty would be inviting more applications for bursaries soon. He thanked the Advancement Department for the support received. The Department’s Helena Pietersen said the bursaries had been made possible through funding from the CMA De Beer Estate.

Pietersen encouraged the recipients to plough back to the community one day when they enter the world of work. Nada Sechoaro, a BTech Chemical Engineering student, said she was grateful for the financial support.

“Thank you very much for alleviating the stress we have with finances. It’s good to know the university is looking out for us. I see myself paying back one day,” added Nada.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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Next year CPUT will host the 5^th Annual Africa Engineering Week – an initiative jointly organised by UNESCO, the Department of Science and Technology and Engineering Council of South Africa.

Prof Marshall Sheldon, Acting DVC: Research and Innovation, led the CPUT delegation that attended this year’s Africa Engineering Week, which took place earlier in the month at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein. She participated in a panel focussing on the role of Engineering in addressing the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

CPUT’s Faculty of Engineering also took part in the Engineering Exhibition held in conjunction with this event. Its stall was a joint effort between the faculty’s Student Engagement Coordinator, Luvuyo Kakaza, Rizah Rowe and Sinamandla Maqina from FSATI (French South Africa Institute of Technology), as well as Muziwandile Mazibuko from the Mechatronics Department. During this two-day exhibition, a number of Science and Mathematics learners from schools in Bloemfontein and surrounds attended.

The UNESCO Africa Engineering Week is annual event, hosted by the Department of Science and Technology and supported by the Engineering Council of South Africa, that is focused on addressing the challenges represented by a shortage of engineers in South Africa and attracting learners to subjects like Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. This is a multifaceted event that rotates among the nine provinces of South Africa.

“It is with the expectation of great things happening on campus that we anticipate hosting next year’s Africa Engineering Week. This year’s installment of the initiative was very enlightening and stimulating for all who attended.

“I invite each member of the CPUT community to join the Faculty of Engineering in surpassing the success achieved at this year’s event,” says Sheldon.

Written by CPUT News
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As part of its Mandela Day initiative, the Faculty of Engineering has launched a donation drive to raise funds to renovate an overcrowded local orphanage.

Started with three orphans in Nyanga in 1994, Emasithandane Children’s Organization is a home for 29 vulnerable children. The home consists of three very small bedrooms in addition to few common rooms.

Emasithandane not only meets the children’s basic needs such as clothing, shelter, education and food but also offers them a nurturing environment, which facilitates their personal growth and holistic development in the face of extreme odds.

The Engineering Faculty’s Luvuyo Kakaza says that they decided on an institution which caters for children’s needs as a response to the need to instil a sense of hope and convey a message that there are people who care.

“Today’s the launch of the project to raise donations for renovations and upgrades at the home, including creating study areas,” said Kakaza.

“We want to create a safe environment which is also conducive for learning.”

He added that the drive will continue in the next three to four months and donations can be made through a CPUT bank account or by purchasing a CPUT Mandela Month button for R20.

There’s also a Fun Run/Walk which will take place on July 29 and registration is open to all members of the public and all proceeds will be donated to Emasithandane. To register for the event one may click on the link.

Hazel Maposela, Finance Officer at Emasithandane, thanked CPUT for the gesture and says it addresses some of their challenges such as lack of safety and overcrowding.

She added that the home needs funds to pay salaries to its staff complement of nine employees as it only receives donations for food.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE) invites prospective students hoping to study this year to apply for any of the 18 qualifications in the faculty.

FEBE’s Student Engagement Coordinator, Luvuyo Kakaza, says the Faculty has a total of 18 qualifications which are still open, from undergraduate qualifications which require a matric certificate to be accepted.

Kakaza says there are six qualifications that matriculants can apply for and 12 for students who would like to finish their incomplete studies or add on their attained qualifications. “Students who would like to follow a career in engineering and learn how to solve engineering problems should apply for one of these qualifications. They will learn how to solve ‘real-life’ challenges that face the country, the continent and the world at large,” he adds.

“All the skills and knowledge they acquired in the classroom will be applied in the private and public sector as proud engineering graduates of CPUT, demonstrating a wealth of knowledge and expertise obtained in the various programs which learners can choose from at the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment.”

The closing dates for these available spaces vary from 1 to 8 March and prospective applicants must read the information on the website carefully. The spaces are limited and are filling up quickly on a daily basis. It is advisable for prospective engineers to complete their applications without delay as this may be the last chance for them to join the CPUT engineering community. To apply  go to the applications page: https://www.cput.ac.za/study/apply/step-4-online-application

The engineering discipline is filled with opportunities because it is a scarce skill. Kakaza says not many disciplines equip graduates with the skills and abilities an engineer is equipped with. “It is those skills and demand for those skills that make engineering a fulfilling career path for those who can commit to the discipline.”

The engineering graduates can follow a career as engineers in the public or private sector; in fields such as marine engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and even industrial engineering among others.  

Applicants are advised to do the following before attempting to apply:

• Consult the list of programmes with available spaces and for submission during the above time frame.
• Ensure that you meet the minimum admission and subject requirements for your programme of choice
• Ensure that you have checked for any additional admission and supporting documentation
• Certify all your supporting documentation. Certification must be less than three months old.

For further information:

• Construction Management and Quantity Surveying; Andre Burt This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Clothing and Textile Technology: Andre Burt, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering: Wendy Stoffels, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Industrial and Systems Engineering: Andre Burt, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Maritime Studies: Zaheera Rawoot, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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