A SECOND group of 14 students from Eastcape Midlands TVET College (EMC) recently left for a 12-month internship in China.
EMC has been identified as one of 15 TVET colleges to send students on a year-long fully funded international training/internship programme in the mechanical engineering field.
The students come from the fitting and machining, automotive repair and mechatronics programmes.
The programme is fully funded and supported by the Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange Centre, together with MERSETA, and is aimed at creating opportunities for the students to gain work experience through integrating them in a real work learning methodology that is utilised by the top 500 Chinese companies.
The programme also aims to promote investment opportunities in South Africa and to support job creation in South Africa, to expose TVET students to international standards, to enhance TVET students’ work ethics in order for them to become global citizens and to provide TVET students with a competitive advantage by exposing them to international standards and machinery which will help them to further themselves in their careers.
This is a great opportunity for EMC’s students as they will not only receive systematic and scientific training at the Hangqou College, but they will also be exposed to the Chinese language, culture and skills.
Once the students have completed their internship, which will consist of three months’ studies at the College and nine months’ working in Chinese manufacturing companies, they will return with an internationally recognised certificate from both the institute and employer which will strategically place them in the job market with internationally recognised work skills for their sector.
In April, EMC sent eight students to China who are currently completing their year-long training/internship in two streams of electrical engineering studies, energy, and water and sanitation.
China has made rapid advances in areas such as education, infrastructure and high-tech manufacturing, and is now in some areas a world leader in technology.
