The biggest threat to the future economic growth of South Africa is the shortage of technical skills in engineering and technology, according to Bryan Perrie, managing director of the Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI).
Speaking at a breakfast function in Midrand to mark the start of the C&CI School of Concrete Technology’s 2012 Advanced Concrete Technology (ACT) training course, Perrie said the shortage of qualified concrete technologists was a major component of the shortage of materials engineers in this country.
“The ACT course will this year expose delegates to a wide range of concrete disciplines and insights that could provide a competitive advantage to both delegates and their companies,” Perrie stated.
The globally-recognised ACT course is presented by the School of Concrete Technology every two years under the auspices of the Institute of Concrete Technology (ICT) in the UK.
Delegates are drawn from qualified civil engineers, cement chemists, concrete technologists and technicians involved in the building, construction, precast concrete, mining and also the cement, aggregate, admixture, and ready-mixed concrete industries. Successful candidates will qualify for free membership of the Concrete Society of Southern Africa while studying. The Society has officially endorsed the course.
Twenty-one delegates, drawn from all over Southern Africa, have enrolled for the 2012 course which will feature two guest lecturers from London: Dr John Newman and Dr Peter Domone from Teaching and Learning Enterprises (TALENT). TALENT is also involved in training for the British ACT course.
C&CI’s School of Concrete Technology’s next ACT course will start in January 2014.
Further info: Hanlie Turner, tel 011 315 0300 / www.cnci.org.za
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