On Monday 27 June 2011, Pragma launched its first official University
Student Vacation Training Programme. The three- week programme is
specifically aimed at B.Eng (Industrial) students who are required to
complete this kind of training as part of their studies.
Pragma views engagement with engineering students as very important.
Over the last number of years, the company established itself as an
employer of choice for especially iIndustrial Eengineers. They were
Pragma was voted the Building, Construction and Engineering industry
category winner in Deloitte’s Best Company to Work for Survey in 2009
and 2010. “We view this as an important opportunity to attract the
brightest young talent from South Africa’s Uuniversities. Furthermore,
Pragma also gets the opportunity to educate future engineers about
physical asset management and the value that could be unlocked when
partnering with us,”, says Stéphan Pieterse, Pr.Eng, People and
Organisational Development Manager at Pragma., Stéphan is responsible
for the programme’s development and delivery.
The programme is presented in collaboration with the Asset Care Research
Group (ACRG) headed up by Dr. P.J. Vlok, who is also a part-time
lecturer at the Engineering Faculty of the University of Stellenbosch.
This partnership assists Pragma to build on and enhance their current
service offering to the industry.
“The content of the programme ensures that the students are introduced
to the concepts of physical asset management and Pragma’s service
offering. Included is exposure to the work of an Asset Care Engineer at a
Pragma client and we also expose them to various coaching sessions with
Pragma’s senior management in order to provide them with a few valuable
life lessons, here at the start of their careers,”, says Stéphan.
According to the students they are all very excited about the
opportunity they have been given. “I have completed two previous
vacation training sessions but this is by far the most challenging and
yet the most rewarding experience I have had.,”, says Cameron Mconie,
4th fourth-year Industrial Engineering student at the University of
Stellenbosch.
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