The Vocational Education Development Company (VEDCO) has applauded the success of the Bill Venter-EIF Scholarship Fund, set up two years ago to assist promising young financially disadvantaged South Africans pursue careers in electronic engineering.
So far, 66 students from 11 technical colleges around the country offering engineering training with electronics as a field of study have benefited from the fund. Four have completed their studies, seven have reached the top grade N6 level, reports VEDCO Project Manager Shirley Steenekamp.
"The project has been very successful," says Steenekamp. "Although no official mechanism is in place to do tracer studies on graduates, indications from all the colleges involved are that students have been readily accommodated in industry upon completion of their studies. We expect to assist an additional 11 new students by the end of the year."
An amount of R30 000 per year for three years was originally earmarked for the fund by Dr Bill Venter, Chairman of the Altech group of companies. R60 000 of the total amount has already been allocated to deserving students showing an aptitude for electronics and a commitment to studying.
Now Steenekamp and VEDCO Company Secretary Ben Botha are hoping the project will be extended. "Very few industries, companies or individuals have been as generous in supporting national projects such as this, and more importantly, national bursary allocations in the technical college sector," says Botha. "We look forward to developing this project into a learnership scheme in the future, which will involve companies in the electronics industry in on-job placement of students benefiting from the bursary fund."
Technical colleges involved in the project have been carefully vetted and selected by VEDCO which is also tasked by the EIF to administer the fund and pay bursary money over to the students.
Bursaries amount to R500 per student per trimester, which covers class fees and, in cases where these fees are lower, the cost of textbooks. Bursars are selected on academic merit and financial need, and allocations are made only after proof of progress has been received and recommendations ratified by the EIF Bursary Fund Committee.
"The scholarship fund has undoubtedly been beneficial and its strict regulation and administration is ensuring students achieve a high standard of competence," says Botha. "Industry sub-sectors attracting the most interest amongst students are information technology, industrial electronics and communications."
© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved
printer friendly version