Cape Town - The Trident Engineering Institute held a formal launch of its institution on Tuesday, supported by its partners, the Nido Trust and Kamva Capital Projects. The institution enables students with the necessary skills and qualifications within Building Information Modelling (BIM).
The charitable Nido Trust focuses on introducing industry-specific programmes that are fully accredited by local bodies and endorsed by professional bodies globally.
The first curriculum by the Institute is in BIM programmes in construction and facility management. BIM involves the creation and management of digital mock-ups that assist with the design and construction process throughout the stages of development and maintenance.
Henry Lukenge, Nido Trust trustee and founder of Trident Engineering Institute, said they deliver Building Information Modelling skills to young people.
“We are trying to get those skills to kids past matric and to any other people who can use them to earn more for what they do. Our ultimate goal is, in six months time, to hit the market and start getting students in.”
Lungile Koti, trustee for the Nido Trust, said BIM was massive everywhere else in the world, but was almost non-existent in South Africa.
“So one of the biggest goals is that we introduce it as an industry where we say these are new skills that you can use in South Africa, Africa and in Europe,” he said.
Fikile Khiva, director and CEO of Kamva Capital Projects, who works in association with the Trident Engineering Institute, spoke about the significance of the event.
“The event confirms my understanding that this initiative is a breakthrough. We have a very big gap in skills in areas of construction, artisan skills and facilities management, and the initiative will develop young people in the industry,” Khiva said.
Trident Engineering Institute will finalise its plans alongside its partners to, it is hoped, take its first students on board by January next year.