Internship To Benefit More Students

ALBERTON-based wear solutions company Rio-Carb is contemplating the extension of its internship programme into its black economic-empowerment programme.

- Nadine James

The programme is aimed at preparing second-year engineering students for their careers, in the near future.

With two students having completed the internship programme, launched last year, the chromium carbide (CrC) plate manufacturer says two more students will be accepted into the programme in November. The programme represents a significant investment on the part of Rio-Carb in the future of the industry and the company, says Rio-Carb director Martin Maine.

“Our aim is to make a meaningful contribution to the development of the engineering industry by upskilling the engineers of tomorrow,” he comments.

The six-week programme covers aspects of industrial, mechanical and metallurgical engineering, with the mentoring focus being on physics.“We are illustrating the importance of physics as a background platform for all aspects of engineering by emphasising its importance in processes, demonstrating this by providing lessons in welding-arc behaviour and plasma interactions inside a cutting-head, among other aspects.”

He notes that Rio-Carb’s associate company, water-jet cutting service provider Aquajet Profiles, also covers this physics grounding through lessons on “the physics of extremely high water-pressure acting as a precisely controlled abrasive tool”.