Graduates from the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) programme have spoken out about their pain of possessing a qualification that is not recognised by the industry.
They also want the university to be taken to task for continuing to offer a course that allegedly isn't compliant with the standards of the highly specialised artisan and technology sector.
These unemployed graduates, the majority of whom were funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), have been seeking answers from the institution about the alleged non-compliance of their qualification for some years.
Industry employers shunned VUT’s national diploma holders who obtained certificates from institutions such as the Southern African Institute of Welding and African NDT Centre.
These private institutions beat VUT on industry standards compliance, though they specialised in short, level-based certificate courses.
“Our main problem is that all the companies are saying they don't recognise our diploma,” said Inga Nongqawula, who graduated in 2017.
“Their not recognising it means we still have to go to the private institutions and get level certification, which is something that someone with Grade 10 can just go and do. Basically, the diploma does not count for anything.”
I did a course at Vaal University of Technology called Non-Destructive Testing only to get to the industry and be told it's not recognized. 98% of us who did it are not working yet the institution is still taking new students even now. We have been tryna fight it but we lose😭😢
— @Minniekazi (@d4733348f1504f5) January 11, 2019
But the former NSFAS recipient battles to enrol at the private institutions to study because the costs are exorbitant.
A prospectus from one of the institutions showed that a four-day entry level course costs R12 000. A 25-day senior welding inspector course costs R51 000.
An industry player said the problem with VUT’s course was that it was too academic, while the training by private institutions was practical and highly specialised.
Kopano Leinana, another graduate, said sitting at home with a national diploma that wouldn't take him anywhere was stressful. He obtained the VUT diploma in 2015.
“We're owing NSFAS, yet we can't repay them because we're not working nor employable. We're not employable because our course does not meet industry needs."
Some graduates have taken to social media to warn matriculants desperate for space at universities to think twice before enrolling for the NDT programme at VUT.
“People are silent, and the black children are offered NDT at VUT,” Lancelot Ngobeni wrote on Facebook. “I'm also a victim and not only me (but) 90% of the people you see graduating in NDT (from VUT) are not employed unless they (do) extra short courses (that cost) a lot of money.”
sir please help us also @NdtVut. We studied a course at VUT called NDT but when we dne looking for inservice or work they tell us they dnt recognise the diploma. Its like we dd a fly bu night course. We jst sitting at home ploughing as no one wants to hire us.
— StarMillo (@shumanie777) September 27, 2018
VUT conceded that graduates had alerted it about their unemployability.
“We have previously been made aware by our NDT students’ allegation that the NDT industry does not recognise (our) NDT diploma,” said spokesperson Mike Khuboni.
“We took it upon ourselves and visited various NDT industries to understand the claim made regarding the VUT NDT programme. All the industries we visited denied the allegations."
He said VUT invited the NDT schools to train its students on NDT level certification. “Only the School of Applied Non-Destructive Examination came on board, and the other two NDT schools asked for more time to consider the request.
“The university is touched by the allegations and that is why there were continuous discussions with student forums, overseas NDT schools, NDT industries and VUT NDT advisory board members from the industries,” Khuboni said.