The theme of the 2102 Pneudrive Challenge aims to stretch mechanical, electronic and mechatronic engineering students beyond their academic and engineering design boundaries. “We are confident that the challenge of ‘Engineering a Better Life for South African Communities’ will result in a range of innovative entries that will showcase our young engineering talent,” says Rene Rose, general manager of marketing and communications at SEW-Eurodrive, co-sponsor with Festo of the competition.
Besides creating an opportunity to bring together academic theory, the latest pneumatic and drive technology and real-life business and design problems, the PneuDrive Challenge also develops important characteristics in young engineers entering the job market. On reviewing the entries of the past, the most successful teams displayed the following characteristics:
* A clear perception of how team members can interdependently perform tasks and roles.
* Successful engagement on an interpersonal level while solving project problems.
* Individual accountability for tasks and deliverables that work towards the achievement of the team’s goals.
* Regular generation of opportunities to review and improve performance to ensure effectiveness of the end result.
Any decision maker in business will acknowledge that these kinds of characteristics are crucial for any team, and prospective employees who display these characteristics would be valuable in any business setting.
“By experiencing how to work in teams, develop new ideas, engage with industry experts and apply theory on a practical, real-life business level, students get an insight into how they will need to perform once they graduate,” says Brian Abbott, product manager, mechanical at Festo.
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