The Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange Centre, a leading Chinese institution in South Africa in partnership with the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (merSETA), entered into an agreement to offer the life-changing opportunity to 200 students at Universities of Technology and TVET colleges a year’s internship programme in China.  

The main objective of the programme is to bridge the skills gap and contribute positively to the growth and development plan for the country. Amongst the selected participants, 15 are from the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (IT). For the duration the programme, students will be enrolled at Beijing Union University and issued with a university certificate of achievement upon completion. 

The internship includes six months in systematic and scientific training at several participating university workshops and the remainder six months at the top 500 Chinese companies for job experience in electrical automation, design and manufacturing. merSETA will be funding students’ travelling, their monthly stipend for the duration of the programme and tuition fees while the Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange Centre will be responsible for registering students at the learning institutions, accommodation for the duration and placement at the top 500 Chinese companies. When asked about the programme, students could not contain their excitement, as this will be their first experience outside the country. “I am over the moon. I cannot wait to explore, learn and bring that knowledge and skills home. This is my first-time experience and I intend to go out there and grasp everything I can to sharpen my IT skills,” said Ms Thandiwe Winkel, IT student who recently completed her BTech. 

Another participant, Mr Mpho Macakela, a mechanical engineer said he was looking forward to learning more than what he knew about mechanical engineering and other opportunities in that field. “This is a dream come true for me. I had always wanted to visit china and check out opportunities related to my career and now this opportunity came at the right time. I want to go there, network as much as possible, and maybe, establish some international collaborations with companies and students there. This internship is going to open international doors for us”, he said. Students will also be exposed to the Chinese culture, language and high-tech innovation and manufacturing. 

Image 

Successful students from the Faculty of Engineering and InformationTechnology: Front row, from left: Paseka Ditlhakanyane, Patrick Gamedze, Puseletso Mofokeng, Tonyane Loago, Dimakatso Shamane, Thandiwe Winkel. Back row, from left: Bongani Simango, Dintle Kholoane, Tshepo Koetje, Rebaone Modisamongwe and Mpho Macakela.