Reputation Matters

The Thabo Community Action Trust launches two community entrepreneurial development initiatives Windmill Casino, 1 August 2013

Taking community upliftment through entrepreneurial development to the next level, the Thabo Community Action Trust (TCAT) is launching the ROOTs Traders Club and ROOTs Youth road shows in a fun and entertaining evening at the Windmill Casino on 01 August 2013. Join a representative of Free State’s Regional Government who will officially launch the initiatives at the event. 

The Thabo Community Action Trust (TCAT) is an organisation aimed at providing sustainable socio-economic upliftment and development through social entrepreneurship programmes for communities in the Thaba’Nchu and Botshabelo areas. TCAT will launch the ROOTs Traders Club and ROOTs Youth road shows as part of their on-going effort to help equip these communities with the entrepreneurial skills needed for them to be self-sufficient.

The ROOTs Youth educational road show is an interactive and entertaining entrepreneurial development show with a local flavour. Driven by the communities of Thaba’Nchu and Botshabelo, it aims to encourage the youth in these areas to think about becoming entrepreneurially savvy for a purposeful and prosperous life, by breaking the chain of reliance and taking action and responsibility for their own destiny.

The ROOTs Traders Club is a community owned entity which provides a platform for small business owners in the disadvantaged communities of Thaba’Nchu and Botshabelo to connect and share their entrepreneurial experiences on a regular basis at scheduled meetings, and receive expert coaching and mentoring from external supporters. This business owner network creates an inter-connected support system and encourages further entrepreneurial development in these areas.

See the launch of these two initiates at Windmill Casino on 01 August 2013, and learn about the complexities in driving sustainable community initiatives for maximum impact. Entertainment and a delicious dinner is guaranteed, but seats are limited, so book your place with events@reputationmatters.co.za by 24 July 2013!

The ROOTs Youth Road Shows and ROOTs Traders Club are initiatives sponsored by the Thabo Community Action Trust (TCAT) and powered by The Culture Corporation. For more information about TCAT, the ROOTs initiatives and The Culture Corporation, visit www.thabotrust.com or www.culturecorp.co.za

by Reputation Matters

Successful recruitment of employees can make or destroy a business

South African business owners often complain about the lack of skilled labour in this country. However, many do not realise the role that a below-par recruitment process plays in attracting and securing the wrong candidates. How can business owners make sure they avoid costly hiring mistakes? International award winning Business Growth Expert, Kathi Clarke, explains.

Step 1: Employees are the backbone of any business and recruiting the wrong candidates can destroy it. As a business owner, you continuously need to be on the lookout for talent as opposed to only recruiting when a gap or need arises.

Step 2: To make this manageable, a systematized recruitment process which attracts a larger pool of applicants on the basis of who they are as well as what skills/abilities they have, and which allows them to deselect themselves in the early stages, will get you off to the best start. It will also inevitably save you time in the long run.

Clarke elaborates, “Most employers make the mistake of limiting the recruitment process in the beginning to make it “manageable” and then sift potential employees based on skills and past experience as the first screen.  While these are important, what is critical is the fit with your organisation’s culture. So Step 3 is about shortlisting a person based on who they are as the primary prerequisite followed by their competencies - you can always teach skills but not disposition!

“Step 4 is to have a clear plan of what needs doing in the business and who will do it. This provides an essential foundation for writing a clear job description which details explicitly the ‘what and how’ requirements of the role,” continues Clarke.

“From there, Step 5 is to be different and design an ad that speaks to the type of person needed to suit the role and not just what they need to do.  Remember that this ad is as much a “marketing tool” as a product/service ad is to a prospective customer; you want to compel talent to work for you rather than your competition!” indicates Clarke.

Step 6 is to request that candidates fill out an application form which details why they think they are right for the job and why they want to work for you.  Not only will this give you easily comparable information, but if you make this downloadable from your website, you’ll have the added advantage of boosting your Google rankings! Interestingly many potential applicants will deselect themselves at this stage because they can’t be bothered to fill out a form – you’d be surprised how many!

“Once the applications have been vetted according to the job description and type of person needed, Step 7 is about creating a shortlist of the best of the bunch and arranging a face-to-face interview in which you ask questions designed to elicit examples of behaviour and not opinions. Additionally follow a format suited for the role – for example a group interview works well for a sales job where individuals need to demonstrate that they persuade better than others.

“Before the final interview, Step 8 is to firstly talk to all the candidates’ previous employers.  Start by verifying CV experience like job title, reason for leaving and salary and then ask if they’d re-employ the person.  How this question gets answered will tell you a lot!

Step 9 is to invest in a dispositional test or personality profile to establish their ’fit’ to your business culture. Step 10 is to discuss all of this in a final interview along with your offer regarding a package. Any questions about salary before this point are premature as the worth of the candidate and their level of interest in what you have to offer needs to be established before negotiating a salary.

Clarke continues, “Step 11 is to ensure you have a detailed contract in place which lists the role and responsibilities of the new employee and then to ’use’ this and your great job description to monitor and manage their performance.”

Clarke concludes, “The final step, Step 12, is not to dump the new recruits into the deep end, rather set them up for success in their new job from the outset by taking the time to induct new employees properly – show them the ropes; introduce them to the team and customers; give them the manuals that detail how things get done. Importantly, check in with them on how it’s going so that they can be glad they chose to work for you!”

For more information about Kathi and her services, contact her on kathiclarke@actioncoach.com

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Kathi Clarke is an Industrial Psychologist, international award winning and certified ActionCOACH Business Coach and a business growth expert. With over 25 years’ experience in growing businesses, she and her company Building Best Business since coming to South Africa in 2011, have successfully helped more than 50 entrepreneurs to significantly grow their profits; develop entrepreneurial muscle and enjoy the lifestyle which prompted them to start their own business in the first place. Kathi also finds the time to offer her services probono to NPOs.

by Reputation Matters

Innovative Medical Surgery Changes Faces

The following steps were followed by the CRPM’s research team:

Segmentation of CT data: The above images show the software that was used to segment the bony features from the soft tissue in order to prepare a 3D computer model from the patient’s CT data.

Generation of 3D computer model: The 3D model of the patient’s skull and upper jaw clearly shows the affected area. This 3D model was loaded onto a 3D printing machine to be manufactured from plastic powder and laser sintering process.

Innovation at Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) enabled a medical first in South Africa, when Ennica Mahkge, a young woman from Gauteng who was born without a nose and nasal passages received extensive jaw and facial surgery and a new nasal prosthesis at Mediclinic Kloof in Pretoria on Saturday, 22 June 2013.

To allow Mahkge (19) to breathe, an opening in her windpipe was created at birth, which unfortunately increased her tendency to develop upper respiratory tract infections, and ultimately caused a chronic infection. This resulted in the need to do a nose replacement operation, where nasal passages were created by moving Mahkge’s jaw forward and down, in order to create space for the new nasal passages.

Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), together with a team of specialists from the University of Pretoria and Mediclinic Kloof has been working tirelessly for months to make this life changing surgery possible.

The Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM) at CUT played a vital role in the reconstructive surgery by using Additive Manufacturing technology, better known as three dimensional printing to construct two models of Mahkge’s skull so that the team of doctors could carry out pre-operative planning and simulate the operation.

“These models were essential for the success of the operation, as the patient was born without a nasal passage. Without these models the operations would have been impossible”, said Dr van den Heever from the Department of Prosthodontics of the University of Pretoria (UP).

“With only about 50 documented cases in the world and the first in South Africa, there is no absolute protocol in place for the surgeons to draw from,” says Gerrie Booysen, the Director of the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM) at CUT. “That is why the pre-operative models played such a vital role in empowering the doctors to plan and simulate the operation in the finest detail.”

The pre-operative model assisted the surgeons to determine where the upper jaw needs to be cut in order to place it in the correct position and to prepare the titanium plates that was used to reconstruct the upper jaw. This shortened the operating time considerably, which reduces the chances of complications due to a prolonged operation such as infections or excessive blood loss.

For more information about the CRPM and CUT please visit www.cut.ac.za.

More about CUT

CUT is a leader in many technology fields ranging from learning programmes in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) a broad field in which CUT has about 45% of its enrolments, much higher than many other South African universities. Further, CUT’s research and innovation leadership in many areas, more especially in rapid prototyping and manufacturing is world class. The latter has been honoured by both the Medical Research Council (MRC) as part of its National Medical Device Platform and the National Research Foundation (NRF), with the latter having granted CUT a Chair in this area. Through its social and technological innovations CUT aims to contribute towards the social-economic development in the region as well as in the rest of South Africa and internationally.

by Reputation Matters

Widespread Access To Higher Education

Bloemfontein, Free State: (Front from left to right) Mr Tate Makgoe, MEC of Education; Prof. TZ Mthembu, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT; (Back from left to right) Mr. TS Letho, Director of Flavious Mareka FET College; DR LM Fourie, Director of Goldfields; FET College, DR SD Manese, Director of Maluti FET College and Mr JS Tladi, Chief Director: FET Colleges. The Free State Provincial Government, Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), and Further Education and Training Colleges (FETC) in the Free State pledging their commitment to collaboration at the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), which took place at the CUT main campus in Bloemfontein today, 06 June 2013. The signing of the MoU is the first step to the realisation of the Department of Higher Education and Training’s efforts to revitalise the FETC sector in the Free State through systematic, coordinated and meaningful collaboration with universities, which aims to create the opportunity for FETC students to further their studies at higher education institutions.

The Free State Provincial Government, Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), and Further Education and Training Colleges (FETC) in the Free State pledged their commitment to collaboration at the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony, which took place at the CUT main campus in Bloemfontein today, 06 June 2013.

The MoU stipulates a working relationship between CUT and the FETC sector, which will provide and improve access to further education and training institutions, including universities in the province.

Until now, there has been a mismatch between the courses offered at FET colleges and the entry requirements into higher education institutions, which resulted in FET qualifications being disregarded when prospective students’ applications were considered for admission.

“CUT will assist the FETC sector the development of bridging courses, the launch of new NQF level 5 curricula programmes and will contribute to the improvement of FETC staff training and education. These advancements and the development of articulation and credit transfer instruments, will make it easier for FETC students to gain admission into CUT”, said Mthembu.

The signing of the MoU is the first step to the realisation of the Department of Higher Education and Training’s efforts to revitalise the FETC sector in the Free State through systematic, coordinated and meaningful collaboration with universities.

The MoU also aims to further promote specific learning areas, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

“This partnership will assist victims of our system who did not have mathematics and science up to matric to bridge the gaps in their education and will develop the opportunity for these learners to enrol at higher education institutions”, said Mr Tate Makgoe, MEC for Education.

“We believe that we have a critical role to play in the development of highly skilled graduates, specialising in STEM focussed careers, to ultimately create wealth for the country,” said Prof Thandwa Mthembu, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of CUT.

For more information about CUT visit www.cut.ac.za

by Reputation Matters

CUT Develops Solar-powered Charging Stations for Students

CAPTION: CUT has developed solar-powered charging stations for students. Now that the prototype has been developed, the next step is to place a number of these charging stations all over campus to help ensure that students can recharge whenever they need to and don’t run out of battery power at a crucial time.  This truly makes CUT, a cut above!

The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) recently unveiled a prototype, which will allow students to charge their electronic devices on campus, via a solar-powered USB port.

“We have seen a marked increase in the daily use of electronic equipment by students,” says Prof. Herman Vermaak, acting Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.   “With this increase, the idea came to develop a device that harnesses energy from a renewable source and gives students an easy, accessible and free re-charging facility.”

Now that the prototype has been developed, the next step is to place a number of these charging stations all over campus to help ensure that students can recharge whenever they need to and don’t run out of battery power at a crucial time.

The Solar-Flower was designed and developed by CUT engineering team, while the steel construction of the device was done at the mechanical workshop at the university’s Bloemfontein campus.

According to Prof. Vermaak, the university’s state-of-the-art facilities, coupled with excellent teamwork among faculty members who are experts in their respective fields, allow CUT to manage projects such as this one - from the inception stage all the way through to the delivery of a product prototype.

“It is important that as technology educators we remain at the forefront of technology, particularly in the field of renewable energy,” says Vermaak.  “This project is a perfect example of doing just that.  Besides providing a practical solution to a growing problem on campus, it also gives us an opportunity to introduce all students and staff members to the use of sustainable energy.”

The Solar-Flower project represents one of the many ways CUT is committed the drive towards a greener future.

Renewable Energy Courses

The Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering are introducing two new courses in 2014 and 2015 respectively.  The first is a higher Certificate in Renewable Energy Technologies and the second a Diploma in Sustainable Energy.

These courses were designed to help develop more Renewable Energy Technicians and Energy Advisor/Auditors in South Africa.   Upon entering the job market, the technicians will have the technical knowledge and skills to conceptualise, install and maintain renewable innovations in various urban and rural environments of South Africa, while the advisors and auditors - among other responsibilities – will be equipped to advise consumers on available renewable energy devices.

More about CUT

CUT is a leader in many technology fields ranging from learning programmes in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) a broad field in which CUT has about 45% of its enrolments, much higher than many other South African universities. Further, CUT’s research and innovation leadership in many areas, more especially in rapid prototyping and manufacturing is world class. The latter has been honoured by both the Medical Research Council (MRC) as part of its National Medical Device Platform and the National Research Foundation (NRF), with the latter having granted CUT a Chair in this area. Through its social and technological innovations CUT aims to contribute towards the social-economic development in the region as well as in the rest of South Africa and internationally.

by Reputation Matters