I have mentioned the skills shortage many times and there are all sorts of initiatives either in progress or stalled. Let us now leave this subject and look on the other side of this issue.
There is a fantastic opportunity right before us.
The new generation is endowed with the ability to understand and use the latest technology. A colleague of mine has just told me that his youngster at two years old could effectively use a computer mouse. It is an age-old joke that parents need their children to program their VCR. Now we have PVRs, I am sure that many of us do not even know what that is.
When young, you possibly took mechanical things apart or built radio receivers. This would have satisfied your inquisitive nature - the world has now moved on.
Today's youngsters have an ability to sort through clutter and find the best way to achieve their objective. This is a distinct way of thinking that enables them to see things differently. They are inquisitive about the latest advances, for example, if you need a new cellphone, ask a teenager for the latest specifications.
Their 'What if' mentality needs to be channelled into investigating the physical world around them. Once they are hooked on the wonders around them, they will likely become interested in the measurement and comparison of these interesting features. Eureka! We have the beginnings of an instrumentation engineer.
My contention is that we must start as early as possible. One point of entry would be with the Physical Science teachers at our high schools. They have to be encouraged to achieve the best they can with their pupils. We need to apply our collective analysis as to how we can locate the best teachers in this field, and suitably reward them for their efforts.
Vivian MacFadyen
If you have any bright ideas, please let me know at [email protected]
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The Durban branch of the SAIMC was pleased to welcome Vusi Sithole, managing member of Hybrid Control Corporation in Richards Bay, who presented\on the very pertinent topic of ‘Infrastructure monitoring and control for water loss management’.
Read more...SAIMC: Sunshine, swings and smiles: Durban Golf Day hits a high note Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
SAIMC
We say it every year, and we’ll say it again: May in Durban is hard to beat; but 9 May, when the Durban Golf Day teed off at Kloof Country Club, was something else. With sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 20s, it was a fantastic day, full of fun and great energy.
Read more...SAIMC User Advisory Council KS4I event: Bridging the industry/education divide
SAIMC
Horst Weinert, head of Didactic at Festo Southern/Eastern Africa, will be sharing some of Festo’s Didactic experiences of working across industry and education. He will cover training for productivity and employability in the public and private sectors, discussing especially the potential for inter-company training centres.
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The local Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC recently hosted a Technology Evening at Bryanston Sports Club on 9 April 2025.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The April technology meeting for the Durban branch of the SAIMC was kindly sponsored by ProRisk, a subsidiary company of the Proconics Group of Companies. Process safety engineer, Guillaume de Swardt gave a fascinating presentation on the power of operational risk control by utilising CFD software.
Read more...SAIMC User Advisory Council KS4I event SAIMC Supplier Advisory Council
SAIMC
The SAIMC User Advisory Council started 2025 with its first event in the ‘Knowlege Sharing 4 Industry’ event series on the 19th of March.
Read more...Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry
SAIMC
In proud partnership with Innomotics, SAIMC will be hosting the first Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry event for 2025.
Read more...Getting your OT data into the cloud – the why and the how
SAIMC
As users recognise the benefits of a digital transformation strategy for their industrial plants and systems and start to adopt it, they soon face the challenge of getting operational technology data securely and reliably to a cloud service provider of their choice.
printer friendly version