Section 3 Community Engagement and Industry Impact

Thus, for me, community engagement is a vital aspect of academic life, serving as a bridge between theoretical knowledge and practical application. By immersing myself in various community and industry contexts, I've been able to translate my research into tangible benefits for different sectors of society, ensuring my work has real-world impact. For instance, my project with Lentegeur Hospital (which I'll describe in detail later) exemplifies this approach. Engaging with diverse communities keeps me attuned to current societal challenges, directs my research focus, and helps ensure my learning and teaching methods remain up-to-date and relevant. It's a continuous cycle of learning, applying, and refining knowledge that benefits both academia and the broader society we serve.

3.2 Engineers without Borders

I am really proud to be part of a project team collaborating with Engineers Without Borders South Africa (EWBSA). As evidenced by their website, EWBSA's mission is to "empower engineers to empower communities," addressing the critical issue of underserved communities in South Africa and globally. These communities face numerous challenges, ranging from lack of access to clean water to marginalization in democratic processes. EWBSA's strategy focuses on equipping engineers and other professionals with the necessary skills, tools, and support systems to effectively assist communities in solving their own challenges. The underlying belief is that by expanding the capabilities and vision of South African engineers, we can contribute to building a better society.

Our project, partially funded by the Integrated Engineering Curriculum (IEC), started in February 2024 and aims to develop a toolkit for contextual engineering projects. I work alongside a team of four talented women, including Chikondi Gurira (the CEO of EWB) and Robyn Clarke (EWB program manager), Disa Mogoshana (University of Pretoria), and Nicky Wolmarans (University of Cape Town). Our collective effort has resulted in the creation of the "Bambasonke Challenge" - a name meaning "take hold together" in isiZulu.

The challenge is centered around a video showcasing local Cape Town townships (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9OuM5sLM5s ), serving as the heart of our case study. We've designed this as a form of challenge-based learning, encouraging students to address barriers to engineering that perpetuate poverty across the world. The project's website, launched in July 2024, provides a platform for engagement and information sharing (see https://ewbsa.org/our-work/bambasonke/ ) and makes our work accessible to a broader audience.

A significant milestone in our project was a two-day in-person workshop held from the 9 to 10 May 2024 (9th at UCT - see Figure 25; and 10th at CPUT). This intensive workshop was critical to us making substantial progress on our case study development. The agenda for these meetings (available at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10JzGqz7ezkeVk4Dqy5mdSx_ipmOwagvG/edit) showcases the depth and breadth of our discussions. Our efforts culminated in a comprehensive project plan (accessible at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ik8ASrNNa2dbJK9KOKm_bx6kExbBjENg/edit), which has since guided our work.

In my role, I'm piloting this local challenge in my communications class (PCM150S) at CPUT (see project .brief: See slides  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1F8inAY_azHYxcZ5U81yNj9DP5g7Wv_vI/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112867555058245921842&rtpof=true&sd=true ) As a pilot implementer, I'm developing materials for a communications course that will be part of the toolkit. My current pedagogy involves guiding students through a design thinking process to identify problems based on personas derived from the case study. This challenge-based learning method aims to cultivate practical problem-solving skills - using common and simple project management/quality management tools while fostering a deep understanding of community needs - and demonstrating effective communication while doing this.

Concurrently, my colleagues at UP and UCT are piloting the challenge at their respective institutions, with plans for further implementation in the coming academic year. Our collective efforts will contribute to a comprehensive toolkit, designed to integrate real-world engineering challenges into curricula across South African universities. Our project represents a significant step towards bridging the gap between academic engineering education and the practical needs of underserved communities. By participating in this initiative, I'm not only contributing to the development of future engineers but also playing a part in addressing critical societal challenges through innovative educational approaches.

3.3 Faculty of Applied Sciences 'Reading Champions' project

Also in 2024, I had the privilege of participating in the Faculty of Applied Sciences's community reading program, a registered Service Learning Community Engagement (SLCE) project that brought together various stakeholders from our institution. This collaborative effort involved the university library, the Faculty of Applied Sciences, the Community Engagement Student Academy (CESA), and the Civic Engagement Unit. The Reading Champions project kicked off with a month-long book drive from 20th May to 20th June 2024. Our university library served as a collection point for donated reading materials, encompassing all genres - including fiction, non-fiction, children's books, CDs and magazines. This initiative not only contributed to the educational development of our local communities but also promoted environmental responsibility by encouraging the reuse of pre-owned books.

Preparation for our outreach day was thorough. All participants, myself included, attended a mandatory online briefing session. This ensured we were well-prepared and aligned in our approach to engage with the young readers we would soon meet. The culmination of our efforts took place on Mandela Day, 18th July 2024. I joined a team of volunteers as we visited two local schools: Balvenie Primary School and Astra School for Learners with Special Needs. At each school, we divided into groups and spent time reading to pupils in different classrooms. The experience was both rewarding and enlightening, allowing me to connect directly with the children and witness firsthand the impact of our initiative. (See the video of me reading at Balvenie Primary and the video of me reading at the Astra School).

The day was totally a success, filled with laughter, curiosity, and learning. The enthusiasm of the children and the visible impact of our presence reinforced the importance of such community engagement initiatives. Building on this positive experience, I am currently in discussions with Dr. Ignatius Ticha in my capacity as Faculty Learning and Teaching Coordinator. Our goal is to expand the Reading Champions project, potentially integrating it more deeply into our faculty's community engagement strategy. This expansion could involve more frequent reading sessions, a wider range of schools, or even incorporating student volunteers from our faculty to foster a culture of community service among our students. This project exemplifies the power of academia reaching beyond its walls to make a tangible difference in our community. It aligns perfectly with my belief in the importance of bridging theoretical knowledge with practical, community-focused applications. As we move forward, I'm excited about the potential to grow this initiative and create even more opportunities for meaningful community engagement. 

3.3 Quality Community

3.3.1 Association of Quality Practitioners in the Western Cape (AQPWC) involvement

In May 2022, recognizing a significant gap in the professional landscape for quality practitioners in South Africa, I took the initiative to start discussions that led to the establishment of a much-needed association (see email here). The absence of a SAQA-recognized professional body in this field prompted me to leverage my network of industry contacts and alumni, spreading the word about our intention to form an association. The idea was positively received and the interest bore fruit on 27th August 2022, when we held our online inaugural meeting (see meeting invitation here), which was attended by 26 people (see attendance register here). This milestone event saw the election of a chairperson and deputy chair, while I took on the role of handling secretarial duties. Building on this momentum, I drafted the first Terms of Reference for the Association in February 2023, which was subsequently adopted, formalizing our structure and objectives.

Now known as the Association of Quality Practitioners Western Cape (AQPWC), our association had its official launch at CPUT on the 23rd November 2023. The date of this hybrid event was selected to coincide with international World Quality month, which occurs in November. It was attended by 32 face-to-face participants and 39 online attendees. This was one example of an event where the AQPWC served as a vital platform for networking and professional development. We cater to practitioners across a broad spectrum of fields including Quality, Production, Environmental Health and Safety, Energy, Sustainability, Risk Management, and related disciplines. While we're still in the early stages of establishing the AQPWC, our impact is already evident. A significant achievement came in December 2023 when our deputy chairperson Mr Mario Carelse, was invited as a keynote speaker at a meeting of the national Quality Forum. Another association that I am part of, this forum (that is, the Quality Forum), includes representatives from universities across South Africa offering qualifications in Quality (including TUT, UNISA, UJ, DUT, and NMU), meets biennially to align curricula and promote articulation between institutions (see agenda of December 2023 meeting here). The positive reception of our deputy chairperson's message at this forum demonstrates the AQPWC's growing influence at a national level, despite our current local focus.

In terms of my role in the AQPWC, although I am the elected secretary, my work extends beyond administrative support. I'm actively involved in various aspects of the association's operations, including technological support and public relations for the launch event (Figure 26 the planning committee of the launch event), other networking events (Figure 27 is a photograph taken at one of our other networking events), marketing material development, and communication strategies. This multifaceted involvement allows me to contribute significantly to the growth and direction of the association. See the chairperson, Mr Merwyn Petersen's letter confirming my contribution here.

Our long-term vision for the AQPWC is ambitious – we aim to evolve into a registered professional body. This goal, if realized, would fill a critical gap in the South African quality management landscape, providing formal recognition and support for professionals in this field. I believe that the impact of the AQPWC on curriculum development and industry-academia collaboration is already evident. By facilitating dialogue between industry practitioners and academic institutions, we're helping to ensure that educational programs remain relevant and aligned with industry needs. And, through my involvement in founding and developing the AQPWC, I'm actively contributing to the professionalization of the quality management field in South Africa. This initiative not only enhances my own professional network but also creates valuable opportunities for our students and graduates, bridging the gap between academic training and industry requirements.

3.3.2 Quality awareness presentations and half-day workshops

Traditionally community engagement within the university context takes place with the involvement of students and as a service-learning project. However, due to my typical student demographic from 2016 to 2023 (full-time employed, part-time older students with family responsibilities) for many years, this was not easily possible. It did not, however, deter me from actively seeking opportunities to personally contribute to the broader community through my expertise in Quality Management.

Thus, over the years I presented several presentations and half-day workshops aimed at raising awareness and providing training in quality management. One such was at Armscor with colleagues and others for the City of Cape Town -It is worth noting that Armscor Dockyard manages and operates the Naval Dockyard as the SA Navy's (SAN) third-line maintenance and refitting authority. I have the opportunity to be part of a group of lecturers who teach on my program, to present Quality Awareness training to them on the 18th August 2015. This can be confirmed by the letter of thanks received from Mr Kelvin Bissolati, the Quality Manager at Armscor.

I have also established an ongoing relationship with The City of Cape Town Department of Water and Sanitation and since 2015, I have presented talks and facilitated workshops for them on several occasions as listed below and substantiated by this testimonial written by Mr Mario Carelse, the Head of Business Improvement and Innovation in the Department of Water and Sanitation at the City of Cape Town. These include 

• An industry presentation: 11 November 2021, "Empowering Quality Practitioners" presented online at City of Cape Town World Quality Day

• An industry presentation: 14 November 2020, “Customer Centred Quality” presented online at City of Cape Town World Quality Day;

• A workshop: 15 March 2019, “Root Cause Methodology” in the Conference Room at Water and Sanitation Head Office, Bellville;

• An industry presentation:  8 November 2018. “Quality: A Question of Trust” presented at City of Cape Town World Quality Day Event in the Conference Room at Water and Sanitation Head Office, Bellville. 

• An industry workshop: “Operational Excellence” presented in the Kuilsriver Hall in 2017.

• An industry presentation: 6 December 2016 “Quality Culture” presented at the City of Cape Town’s ISO Stakeholders Session, in Sarepta Sports and Recreation Centre, Kuilsriver.

• An industry workshop: 11 December 2015 “Quality Circles” presented at City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation’s strategic session in Sarepta Sports and Recreation Centre, Kuilsriver.

3.3.3 Pro-bono short courses

In addition to the above-mentioned presentations and workshops, I have developed and facilitated pro-bono short courses for PathCare Diagnostic Laboratories, BBiEnzymes and Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital. Each of these short courses was tailored to meet the specific needs of the organization, focusing on improving the quality management practices in their respective fields.

From March to June 2017 I offered a short course (4 sessions) at PathCare Laboratory. PathCare is pathology practice that offers an extensive range of screening and diagnostic tests to support the prevention and management of disease in both the health care sector and agricultural industry. Evidence of the class list can be seen in the email correspondance between myself and Ms Gaynor Hendricks, the QA officer at PathCare at the time of training. Ms Hendricks has also supplied me with a letter to confirm my community contribution at PathCare.

In December 2019 I presented a three-day Statistical Process Control (SPC) training course at BBi Enzymes, a global enzyme and pharmaceutical manufacturer in Epping, Cape Town. Mr Heinrich Matthyse, the production manager, pointed out that the trainees who were members of his production team were on different educational levels, were different ages and came from different background and he noted that I was able to teach SPC fundamentals to each one. This can be confirmed by this letter. 

Most recently, in October 2020, I assisted Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital (a government hospital in Mitchell's Plain) with Risk Management training during Lockdown. I felt especially privileged that I was able to facilitate Risk Management training at the hospital because as explained by the Deputy Director Medical Support in her testimonial letter, stating that Risk Management  especially important at Lentegeur Hospital, since it could mean the difference between life and death.

These engagements represent a commitment to making a tangible difference not just to my immediate community,  but across the Western Cape region and, by extension, South Africa as a whole. By improving the quality of services and products offered by these organisations, one enhances the lives of individuals who rely on them. Importantly, these collaborations offered me invaluable insights into the latest industry trends and practical challenges - and in this way, the exposure helped to keep my teaching and research current and relevant. It gave me the opportunity to incorporate practical, industry-relevant examples into my teaching and helped me identify research areas that needed to be addressed.

Ultimately, this is another example of the symbiotic relationship between different areas of my life as an academic. This community engagement not only enriched the community and promoted my personal development, but it was a great way to ensure that our curriculum remains aligned to the evolving needs of the sectors we serve.

3.3.4 Responding to industry needs: Occupational Health and Safety

In 2018, responding to an industry demand, I developed a short course on Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) based on the ISO45001 standard. This course was designed to enable team leaders, supervisors and managers of an organisation to ensure safe and healthy workplaces by preventing work-related injury and ill health while continually improving their organisation's (OH&S) performance. Such a course comes highly recommended since it is a regulatory requirement. Furthermore, this course is applicable to both the manufacturing and service sector, making it highly relevant. Moreover, with the onset of the COVID19 pandemic, the importance of this short course came into sharp focus, since safe work places are essential for sustainability. 

Since 2018, six intakes of this course were successfully conducted, with the last offering in 2020. Unfortunately, due to logistical challenges and my own health issues, we were unable to offer the course from 2021 to 2023. However recognising its continued importance (from at least 10 enquiries that I get on the course per week), I've submitted a proposal for it to be offered again in September 2024. This short course is aimed at developing skills, significantly it is also a mechanism for students who have limited time and/or are not in a financial position to register for a qualification to empower themselves. Concurrently, the short course is also a mechanism for CPUT to successfully generate a third-stream income. My belief is that this short course offers tremendous value as illustrated by a former course participant see: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10V7qrJTkOCZa3l4ezH8ubSalQwUEQ35A/view?usp=sharing 

Ultimately, through the development of this short course, I've strived to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and industry requirements, providing accessible, high-quality professional development opportunities that contribute to workplace safety and organizational effectiveness.

3.4 A community of women

An often overlooked but essential aspect of community engagement is the work we do within our academic community to foster inclusivity, support and understanding. This is particularly relevant in the context of CPUT's transformation agenda, which emphasizes the importance of recognising and addressing the unique challenges faced by women in academia. Ostensibly, more so, women in engineering.

3.4.1 I am Woman

In 2022, I faced a significant personal challenge when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. While undergoing chemotherapy and experiencing its effects, including hair loss, I found myself in a position to contribute to discussions about the challenges women face in academia, particularly in the male-dominated field of engineering, from a very nuanced perspective - and I grabbed this opportunity. Essentially, turning a horrible situation into something positive.

Drawing on my experiences, I said yes to an invitation from a colleague from UJ to host an event during Woman's Month in August 2022. I, in turn brought together a panel of women from various industries for a virtual panel discussion - entitled 'I am Woman', which I chaired, after doing a talk. See the invitation to the event here and panelists' bios here. At the heart of my talk, I asked "Is womanhood defined by body parts, having children, relationships, jobs, or something else? Or is it strength, resilience, vulnerability, or tenderness? All, some, or none of the above? This session aimed to challenge persistent subliminal societal expectations of what 'I need to look like, be like, and sound like' to be a woman in academia/industry. The event concluded with an interactive "Never Have I Ever" game, fostering a sense of community and shared experience among participants. 

Participants greatly valued the cross-institutional networking event, which allowed individuals from UJ and CPUT to connect, share experiences, and discuss strategies for navigating challenges within their respective environments. The event served as a platform for women in various academic roles, including faculty, staff, and students, to share their experiences across different levels. The positive feedback and tangible outcomes from this expanded gathering highlight the importance of creating spaces for women in academia to connect, support each other, and share insights across institutional boundaries. This demonstrates how a personal initiative can evolve into a significant force for driving institutional transformation agendas.

Figure 31 and 32 Virtual Tea with UJ (Own source)