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UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL FOUNDATION 21The two week-long practical sessions will be held at the George Campbell School of Technology in Durban. Students will be introduced to a range of essential mechanical tools and equipment, including metal lathes, drill presses, milling machines and welding stations. Students will learn how to safely operate machinery, use hand tools and apply core manufacturing techniques under the supervision of experienced technicians and trained teachers.Professor Glen Snedden, Academic Leader for Mechanical Engineering at UKZN, expressed appreciation for merSETA%u2019s forward-thinking support. %u2018We%u2019re incredibly grateful to merSETA for backing this initiative,%u2019 he said. %u2018It%u2019s vital that our students graduate not only with strong theoretical foundations, but also with the practical skills and confidence needed to thrive as professional mechanical engineers. This programme bridges the gap between the lecture theatre and the workplace %u2013 and represents a critical competence for any engineer entering industry to appreciate the implications of their design choices.%u2019%u2018Local industry had raised the need for an improvement in this area and it is through their support that this initiative has seen success. The renewed relationship with local industry, and in particular the Metair Group and Toyota, follows last year%u2019s full accreditation of the Engineering programmes available at UKZN. It shows that its graduates are just as capable, skilled and relevant to the industry as they were when the programme started 100 years ago, and the School of Engineering is determined to ensure that it continues to innovate and adapt the academic programme to remain so.%u2019The initiative is also a direct response to the skills shortage in South Africa%u2019s engineering sector, where graduates often face challenges transitioning from academic study to workplace readiness. The School of Engineering has also received a donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) for some of the students from the Beier Group. UKZN aims to boost employability, workplace integration and long-term career success by equipping students with hands-on experience early in their studies.%u2018This programme bridges the gap between the lecture theatre and the workplace %u2013 and represents a critical competence for any engineer entering industry to appreciate the implications of their design choices.%u2019