Final year engineer students deliver salient presentations
Graduates Presentations: from left Godfrey Simbuba, Macloud Hianga ,Frans Kaupa Shetu,the only two ladies this year in the middle Helma Namuplo and Liina Kahenge. (Photograph by Jenny Sitole)
This year’s event saw male students present more assessment projects as compared to last year were females dominated.
Professor Tjama Tjivikua of Polytechnic said that the event was a pinnacle conjoined efforts by PoN, the mining industry and most importantly the hard working students.
This was Poly’s third annual presentation since 2013 which serves as a vital stepping stone before graduation and is meant to encourage students to interact with potential key industry partners within the mining sector for future or present job offers.
“Students presenting are thus initiated into the broader professional community and providing them a unique opportunity to showcase what they have achieved in their projects and other competences,” said Tjivikua.
With the University Of Science and Technology Bill having been tabled and has since been passed by National Assembly, this year’s theme was ‘Excellence in the 21st Century’.
‘Our mission as an institution is to ensure that we continue to strengthen our position through a rigorous pursuit of excellence within the tertiary education of Namibia,” Tjivikua said.
The presentations this year were mainly focused on the improvement of ventilation systems, investigation of drilling performances, overall equipment effectiveness, control of water seepage and improving loading and hauling of waste material in the mining industry.
There was a group project as well that required students to construct, plan and assess an authentic mine from scratch.
Students presentations were based on self investigations and assessments using the skills they have acquired. Assessments were done at Rosh Pinah and Namdeb. The presentations were also declared as the best yet by the the MD of Epangelo Mine, Phillip Mbenikeni.
Swakop Uranium vice president, Percy McCallum also emphasised the importance of entering into agreement with tertiary institutions.
The event marked a two year milestone were the private and educational sector joined forces in the development and expansion of human resources and skills set.
Meanwhile the final year students are set to graduate on Friday 17 April at the Safari Hotel.
