Lightning and surge protection specialist DEHN Africa, part of DEHN + SÖHNE, Germany, has recently finished a nine-month training course in lightning and surge protection for a group of Wits students.

DEHNacademy, the training wing of DEHNAfrica, needs no introduction to those in the earthing and lighting protection arena. As part of its latest efforts, DEHNacademy has recently ended an almost year-long period of hands-on training for a group of nine second-year students from Wits, who took a gap year at DEHN Africa during 2017 before returning to study again this year.

DEHN Africa sales engineer, Tatenda Gora, says, “The DEHNacademy internship programme was started partly because of the perceived need for a course on lightning protection for undergraduate electrical engineers. From our experience in industry, we found that there is a gap in the undergraduate electrical engineering curriculum when it comes to lightning and surge protection. Therefore, by having this programme, we intend to start making students aware of this specialty in the electrical engineering field and feed them with knowledge which is rarely shared at their level.”

Having been established in 2014, DEHNacademy offers practical knowledge and skills in the fields of lightning protection, surge protection and safety equipment, offering customer-specific seminars as well as a 2-point CPD accredited seminar entitled ‘A comprehensive approach to lightning protection’ for engineers and consultants. The workshops are both industry and application specific, including training in photovoltaic systems, wind power, petrol stations, LED lighting, the mining industry, hazardous locations and earthing and bonding.

Last year’s extended training period for the nine second-year intern students was a new evolution for the DEHNacademy. The students began with training at DEHN Africa, starting with theoretical learning via DEHN’s ‘Red Bible’ Lightning Protection Guide. They completed various assignments and then continued their training at various DEHN partners for the field experiments. 

“During our course, we gave the students real hands-on training, in conjunction with our partner companies, planting the seeds of lightning protection knowledge and instilling the fundamentals of lightning protection, general engineering experience and exposure to the workplace. The course was additionally ratified via Wits University and merSETA, which allowed the students to receive a stipend to assist them with their basic expenses such as transport and groceries. We are pleased to realise that the students will take this knowledge back to their peers at university when they return to their studies,” concludes Gora.

DEHN Africa would like to thank local partners, Universal Lightning Protection Services, Advanced Lightning Protection, SME Earthing and Lightning Protection Company and Elektromechanica, for their assistance in this practical training.

Other training offered by DEHN Africa includes the IEC/SANS 62305 part 1 – 4 standards, for lightning and surge protection, DEHN’s Red/Line and Yellow/Line surge protection, lightning protection, earthing and safety equipment, as well as DEHNconcept and DEHNsupport Toolbox software training. Learning is offered via e-learning as well as through classroom training onsite at DEHN Africa’s premises. The accredited CPD seminars are aimed specifically at electrical engineers.

Market leader DEHN, a globally active family-owned electrotechnical company with more than 1600 employees worldwide, offers innovative products and solutions as well as comprehensive services in the field of surge protection, lightning protection and safety equipment. DEHN focuses on the protection of system and building technology, the transportation, telecommunication and process sector, photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, etc. The company's continuous growth is based on more than 100 years of tradition and experience as well as highest quality standards and consistent customer and market orientation throughout the world.