Festo has long been referred to as the leader in industrial automation and technical education, but the role that they keep playing in driving educational transformation proves that they have earned and deserve their title. The company has been involved in a long-term project from the beginning of 2021.
The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA), which is part of the 21 Industry Sector Education and Training Authorities for skills development, partnered with Festo to drive the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) project in rural colleges. The strategic alliance aims to introduce comprehensive 4IR educational programmes that will significantly boost the employability and productivity of the workforce, and also enhance the capacity-building efforts of the staff at Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.
The first successful launch of the project was witnessed in 2022 at Maluti TVET College in the Free State. This was followed by Ekurhuleni East TVET College (EEC) in March 2024. The lab, named Indwe 4IR Lab, was launched through a national event attended by the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Buti Manamela, and Festo representatives including Oliver Niese, CEO of Didactic Global and Digitalisation; Horst Weinert, head of Didactic for sub-Saharan Africa; Nader Imani, vice president of Global Education Projects; Amas Siszer, regional manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Ramon Condal, the cluster spokesman of South-Europe and Africa.
Shortly after the launch at EEC, Waterberg TVET College in Thabazimbi finalised the official opening of their Thabazimbi Technical Lab. The official opening of the fully equipped 4IR resource centre took place on 25 March 2024. The next institution that was earmarked for opening was the West Coast TVET College Atlantis Campus in Cape Town. The lab was launched on 17 May 2024 in the presence of various stakeholders, such as the principal of West Coast College, the acting CEO of merSETA, the CEO of Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority SETA (ETDP SETA), and college partners.
“The world is changing; the world of work is also changing; therefore, the world of education should also change. 4IR has impacted us in more ways than we could have imagined. We now talk about smartphones, smart cities, smart products, and smart factories. It is, therefore, fitting that we talk about smart colleges. The launch of the West Coast College 4IR workshop is not an accident; it is a step in the right direction,” said David Setlhake, area manager of Festo Didactic South Africa, during his speech. “For students to exercise their creative minds to innovate and attract the eyes of the industry, they must be exposed to 4IR technology such as those found in the 4IR workshop,” he added.
These modern labs, equipped with various technology such as bionics, robotics and coding, embedded microcontrollers, mobile robotics, smart factory integration, fluid power, and sensor technology to mention a few, will elevate the curriculum of these educational institutions. Colleges will open doors to new modules that will pave the way for continuous technological transformation.
Festo has made great strides in the world of automation and technical education across the globe, and this momentous partnership adds to their accolades. As more colleges embark on this transformative journey, the ripple effects will be felt not only within the communities served, but also across the broader industrial sphere. Festo’s unwavering commitment to driving innovation and fostering skills development underscores its status as a trailblazer in the industry, with this partnership poised to leave a lasting legacy for years to come.
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