On 21 July 2018, Sasol in partnership with SAIMechE (The South African Institute for Mechanical Engineers), Osizweni, Megchem,PDPS and Gert Sibande TVET College held an exhibition on engineering and artisanship careers at Bethal. The aim of the exhibition was to award Bethal High school learners to spend the day witnessing and participating in displays and events that demonstrate the Science and Mathematics principles they learn at school and to show them how these principles are applied in real life “things” that they can relate to.

The exhibition targeted the grade 9’s in order to entice them to make the right subject choice for grade 10 if they see a possibility in a career in engineering. It’s an engineering awareness and motivation which SAIMechE (The South African Institute for Mechanical Engineers) Sasol, Osizweni, Megchem,PDPS and  Gert Sibande TVET College partnered in collaboration to make it happen. A committee was formed to plan and build the equipment needed for the 9 exhibitions that covered all disciplines of engineering and artisanship. 

The Career Days at schools made us aware of how uninformed learners at schools are of engineering related careers. We realised that without a frame of reference with respect to engineering, a learner would hardly be drawn to a career in engineering/artisanship. For those that do not have parents in those fields that share their knowledge with their children, there is almost no opportunity to build an understanding of an engineering career as the equipment used to demonstrate all the interesting Science and Mathematics principles are no longer available to teachers. Science and Mathematics became the dreaded boring subjects to many learners who find it difficult to see the sense in learning it.

The exhibition took place at Ikhethelo Secondary School in Bethal, where the learners rotated in groups of 15, spending 40 minutes at each stall where an engineer explained his/her exhibition in detail which impacted around 220 learners. The different engineering and artisanship disciplines were portrayed.

Apart from enjoying a day away from school, learners from grade 9 were entertained by a team of 9 engineers and artisans by showing them interesting engineering /artisanship marvels in a relaxed atmosphere.  The day turned out to be extremely successful, delightfully exceeding our expectations and spawning a tremendous lot of interaction from the learners.  Thank you to Ikhethelo Secondary School , AD Nkosi Secondary School, eMzinoni Secondary School, SAIMechE ,Osizweni,  Sasol, Osizweni, MegChem, PDPS, and GS TVET for the effort that made this possible and to each of the 40 volunteers that gave their time to make it happen.  We hope to grow this to perfection, and that the event can be extended beyond Secunda.