North West Business 2020-21 Edition

OVERVIEW
the Mankwe campus offers
automotive training, the result
of a partnership between the
Manufacturing, Engineering and
Related SETA (MerSETA), Lelethu
Training and Ford South Africa.
Orbit TVET College hosts an
electronics academy courtesy of
sponsors Samsung Electronics
on the Mankwe campus, and
in partnership with the
MerSETA. Mankwe also offers
Automotive Repair, Maintenance
and Transport and Logistics and
is a Centre of Specialisation in
Diesel Trade.
The Taung Agricultural
College is accredited by the
Council on Higher Education
(CHE) to offer the NQF level 6
Diploma in Agriculture
specialising in Irrigation
Technology.
Two teachers from the
North West, pictured right, were
among the top achievers in the
2019 National Teachers Awards,
Constance Kgomotso Pilane
from Mafenya Primary School
and Genevieve Classen of Fields
College. As of the start of the
school year in 2020, 27.5% of
pupils at schools in the North
West had access to information
through connectivity.
University news
The CHE has announced that
the North-West University
(NWU) Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
programme has received full
accreditation.
A new qualification,
Mechatronic Engineering, has
been added to the courses
offered by the Faculty of
Engineering. The Bachelor of
Mechatronic Engineering programme has been approved by the
Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), enabling graduates to
compete internationally. This programme will be offered in 2021.
The faculty now offers eight specialities, including industrial and
electromechanical and chemical engineering (minerals processing).
Partnerships include Sasol, Eskom, Denel Aviation, Telkom and Sappi.
The Faculty of Engineering is a leading department in terms of
innovations and plays a role, together with the NWU Technology
Transfer and Innovation Support Office, in commercialising ideas by
creating companies.
The university and its researchers are leaders in many fields,
including astrophysics, tourism, solar energy and extruder technology.
Among the research entities at NWU, there are five chairs
allocated by the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI):
Astrophysics and Space
Physics, Coal Research,
Biofuels and other clean
alternative fuels, Nuclear
Engineering and Early
Detection and Prevention
of Cardiovascular Disease
in Africa.
North-West University
has more than 65 000
students, with about
26 000 of studying by
correspondence. The
university’s main campus
is at Potchefstroom with
satellite campuses at
Mmabatho and Vanderbijlpark.
The pharmaceutical
faculty at the Potchefstroom
campus of the North West
University is regarded as a
national leader.
The University of South
Africa (Unisa) has three
branches in North West, at
Rustenburg, Potchefstroom
and Mmabatho. ■
Online Resources
Image: North West Department
of Education
Mining Qualifications Authority: www.mqa.org.za
North West Department of Education: www.desd.nwpg.gov.za
North-West University: www.nwu.ac.za
NWU Business School: www.commerce.nwu.ac.za
Thutopele Learnership: www.bafokengholdings.com/careers
35 NAME BUSINESS 2020/21