The Department of Co-operative Education is pursuing its endeavours in promoting service excellence which encompasses a practice of good ethics and professionalism in the workplace.

In conjunction with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Co-operative Education Department hosted a three-day workshop to enhance staff and trainees with skills to address the needs of the 21st-century employment demands. The Employability Improvement Programme (EIP) took place at the Bend country house in the Midlands, recently.

DUT’s JICA co-ordinator, Jay Paramanund said that EIP will enhance fresh staff and graduates with skills which will be therefore used in their respective fields of work.
“EIP was presented in many faculty boards at DUT and was unanimously accepted by all faculty board members to be implemented in departments. Also, it was recommended that such training is offered to industry partners”, said Paramanund.

He further added that employers do experience frustration at times at the lack of enthusiasm and inability of engagement from the University graduates while they demanded more in salaries with less or no experience at all in the world of work.  “The importance of EIP training for staff is to prepare DUT staff to be equipped to conduct this programme training in their respective departments for the benefit of their students,” said Paramanund.
According to him, the EIP was introduced around 2016 and had to be passed down to Heads of Department’s (HoD’s) for implementation at DUT. Since February 2017, various staff members have been trained from different faculties in the EIP basic modules.

The many departments/programmes whose students that have already benefited from the programme include: Journalism, Chemical Engineering, Language Practice, Community Health and Environment Health Studies, Chemistry (Durban Campuses) and Civil Engineering, Education, Nursing and Public Management in the Midlands (PMB).

Paramanund said that currently the programme is done with students in the final year, due to work preparedness.
“But in the future, the programme is being considered to be offered to first year-students because they will learn how to manage their curriculum and study programme,” he said.

Consultant and trainer from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) SA in the EIP, Mr Ezaki San articulated further on the importance of planning before execution of any task given.
In his closing remarks, Director of Cooperative Education Shakeel Ori encouraged staff members to always be efficient and productive in doing their work, saying that it was all about student- centeredness.

Co-operative Education Public Management intern Ndukenhle Mathe said that the training was of benefit to him and some of the information acquired was in line with some of his Btech disciplines for this year.
“The practical technics that were used reflected more on office work which is something we do on daily basis,” he said.
Pictured: Co-operative Education department staff and Interns during the training.

Mbuso Kunene.