Automation and control solutions com- pany Festo’s didactic training divi- sion indicates that there has been an increase in demand for hydraulics training this year, which has not been the case previously, says Festo manager for didactic training and consulting Horst Weinert.

Festo MD Richard Teagle explains that the training offered by the company is generic and not specific to Festo. It is approved by the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Merseta) and is designed for applications across industries.

The company has about 1 000 participants each year in the different training courses, with a significant increase in hydraulics training, particularly in hydraulics maintenance.

Weinert says that, during the recession, the company has noted a decrease in advanced courses and more focus on general training.

Pneumatics maintenance courses have been offered for many years and the company has partnered with technology firm Siemens to deliver courses on programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and pneumatic machines. It is also expanding its scope of PLC training with links to pneumatics.

Festo Didactic manager Tom Webster says that the division is responsible for training in the Southern African Development Com- munity (SADC) countries and East Africa. It sells training systems to institutions throughout the SADC region.

Teagle adds that the company also carries out training in West Africa and is involved in several projects where it trains the trainers through the latest machinery and multimedia learning systems.

“The didactic division focuses on getting technologies into learning institutions, as there is a lag between equipment and technological development and the subject matter taught at universities and colleges. There is a need to introduce people to new technologies, such as bus systems and pneumatic circuits,” says Webster.

The company has also taken additional office space to allow it to expand on the number of courses it provides.

Meanwhile, Festo was a sponsor of the mechatronics and mobile robotics categories of the WorldSkills Competition, which was held in Calgary, in Canada, early last month, in a bid to promote technical skills.

“There is a tendency for people to enter into soft skills like information technology and there is a big shortage of technical skills,” says Webster.

South African teams participated in the competition, which was attended by over 900 contestants from 51 countries. The competition included a range of skills, such as engineering, software development, travel, catering and hairdressing.

A local mechatronics competition was held between different institutions to select one team to represent the country at World- Skills. The winner was the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, while the regional winner of the mobile robotics competition was the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University of Technology.

Weinert says that South Africa came eighth out of 14 countries entered in the mobile robotics category, while the mechatronics team achieved twenty-fifth position out of 28 entrants. This was the first time that South Africa has had sufficient equipment to participate in these categories. Webster says that, while there were a few challenges with logistics and the late arrival of equipment, the South African teams finished ahead of most of the Euroskills teams, excluding Germany.

The entire South African delegation was made up of teams specialising in 12 different skills, including some entrants who had participated previously in the biannual competition. Weinert says that Merseta sponsored the students’ accommodation and fees. Festo sponsored all the equipment for the mechatronics and mobile robotics competitions.

He says it is interesting that mechatronics, which is centred on mechanics, electronics, computing and control engineering, was only launched as a skill in 1991, and has now deve- loped into one of the most significant skills at the competition. He says that the growth of mechatronics around the world indicates the growing importance of this field.

“The importance of WorldSkills, especially for South Africa, is to change the image of hydraulics as a vocation. There are more students at universities than at vocational colleges, which is leading to a shortage of skills. We want to show people that one does not have to go to university to have an incredible career,” concludes Weinert.