Alignment of industrial electronics theory and practice for engineering exit level students at a TVET college in KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

Research on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges is undoubtedly increasing globally. Nonetheless, not much research has been done in South Africa, especially in the area of Industrial Electronics theory and practice alignment. High rates of unemployment and poverty are present in the region where the Technical and Vocational Education and Training college chosen for this study is situated. The study aims to identify how Industrial Electronics theory for Engineering and practice aligned for exit-level students at a TVET college in Kwazulu-Natal. A large percentage of students finish their exit-level coursework without being immediately absorbed into the workforce to receive hands-on experience. On the other hand, there is increasing concern that graduates of TVET programmes lack the necessary technical skills to find employment. The researcher conducted focus-group and individual interviews, nonparticipant observation and document analysis to determine some of the challenges Engineering exit-level students face in aligning theory with practice in Industrial Electronics. The study is viewed through the lens of social constructivist theory using a case study approach. Ten participants were purposefully chosen to provide data because they were considered to have a wealth of knowledge about the Industrial Electronics Engineering exit-level program. Themes emerged from the manual coding analysis of the data. According to the findings, the college’s exit-level Engineering students receive their training in a workshop that is equipped with malfunctioning machinery, broken tools, and insufficient equipment, and Industrial Electronics lecturers are not engaged in Work-Integrated Learning (WIL). Such a programme would contribute to the advancement and ability to train students. In addition, there is a lack of English language proficiency within some of the Electrical Engineering exit-level students which hampers their understanding of theory in the classroom to enable them to put theory into practice in the workshop. The conclusions drawn from the study and recommendations made include that, as a priority, college administration should upgrade their college’s equipment and working tools in the workshop. This is required to teach exit-level Engineering students and ensure that college lecturers are supplied with the most recent and high-quality training WIL program to meet the quickly changing technological world.The TVET sector also needs to consider the integration of African language in classes and training facilities to cater to those students with low English language proficiency and students should be given the chance to participate in industry-based training while they are still at college.