IIE MSA is a leading brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE) that is fully registered with South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training and internationally accredited by the British Accreditation Council, It is the first – and only – private education provider in Africa to present engineering qualifications that are fully accredited by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), making it a natural choice for students interested in this dynamic field.
The Importance of Engineering
Take a look around. Every street, every building – in fact, almost every item in your home, your suburb and your city – was first born as an idea in the mind of an engineer.
That’s why engineering is so important. The ECSA describes engineering as “the practice of science, engineering science and technology concerned with the solution of problems of economic importance and those essential to the progress of society.” Put another way, engineers make a critical contribution to society. Their efforts are visible in the infrastructure we see around us, the machines we use to make life more convenient, the way we communicate. Their innovations improve our quality of life; their thinking shapes our world.
It stands to reason, then, that countries with a strong engineering sector have the potential to thrive – and, conversely, those with a struggling industry may find themselves lagging in terms of productivity, innovation and other values which make it possible to compete on the global stage.
Addressing South Africa’s Engineering Skills Shortage
Against this backdrop, South Africa’s shortage of engineering skills is concerning. In 2023, the ECSA reported that South Africa has one engineer for every 3 100 people. This stands in stark contrast to countries like Japan, the United Kingdom and United States, where there is one engineer for every 310 people – and, in Germany, the ratio is even more favourable, with one engineer for every 200 people.
If South Africa is to remain abreast of global trends, the country will need to produce 10 times as many engineers as it does now – which is why the news that the IIE Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and the IIE Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering available at IIE MSA being accredited by the ECSA is especially significant. The ECSA is the only signatory to the Washington Accord in Africa, which was established as recognition of the equivalence of accredited engineering programmes leading to the engineering degree. This quality assurance process is based on global best practice, meaning that IIE graduates are able to take their place on the global stage with confidence.
Wihann van Reenen, National Head of Engineering within the IIE Faculty of Engineering, Science and Technology at IIE MSA, emphasises the impact of the skills gap:
“The shortage of skilled engineers has a widespread effect on South Africa and the African continent at large, affecting the country’s functioning in the globalised business environment and economy.” The expertise acquired during the programme is applicable across a wide variety of environments, from private consultation firms to development laboratories and large and small private enterprises.
Added to this, engineering graduates are able to carve a niche in a multitude of areas, applying their knowledge to the design, development, production and even marketing of systems and products. They may even find opportunities in fields like finance, insurance and banking, or academia.
What makes these qualifications even more noteworthy, says Van Reenen, is that students are exposed to “engineering in the real world” from as early as their first year of study. This marks a departure from traditional engineering programmes and increases graduates’ employability further still.
“We’re also proud of the fact that, since the IIE curriculum was developed shortly before the first engineering programme introduced in 2018, it is one of the most contemporary and up to date in South Africa,” he continues. In contrast to many other places of learning, where curricula have been in place for as long as 50 years, the learning material focuses entirely on current challenges, such as sustainability, equipping students with the mindset to solve twenty-first century problems.
State-of-the-Art Facilities
A further advantage enjoyed by students at IIE MSA is access to the campus’s three high-tech labs, all equipped with the very latest technology, where they are able to design, analyse and test items – just as they will when they enter the workplace. The fact that they are able to do this in an environment which simulates the current real-world enriches their learning experience and ensures they are workplace ready as soon as they graduate.
To ensure greater accessibility, both qualifications are available in two streams. Students can therefore opt to complete their studies within four years or extend the qualification over five years. “This means that students have the opportunity to complete the first two years of the mainstream programme over a period of three years,” Van Reenen explains.
“It’s exciting to imagine that, as an engineering graduate, you have the opportunity to impact the way we live. That’s especially powerful in a country like South Africa. The chance to make our cities safer, more convenient and more livable through design, is a nothing short of inspiring,” Van Reenen concludes.
