Instrumentation specialist, Endress+Hauser, in close co-operation with Thekwini FET College, TEKmation and sponsor Mondi BP, has officially opened its second instrumentation school, the Dr. Georg Endress Instrumentation Training Facility, in KwaZulu-Natal.

As part of Endress+Hauser's ongoing commitment to uplifting and developing communities through education, the school was built on the Cato Manor Campus of the Thekwini FET College, in the heart of the community.

Nico Marneweck, Endress+Hauser Training Manager and architect of the project, says that the decision to build the school in the midst of the community ensures that it serves the people of the area and is a vital step in bringing down the crime rate by providing an opportunity to the youth.

"The idea of the school first came about when Endress+Hauser won a contract to supply Profibus technology to Mondi Merebank. It was then realised that there was a serious skills shortage in KwaZulu-Natal especially regarding Profibus.”

The project's initiator and main proponent, Eugene Muthen from Mondi Merebank, approached Endress+Hauser in 2004. Together, the companies agreed to set up an instrumentation school where students and industry trainees could become proficient in all types of instrumentation.

"We went through a list of academic institutions before settling on Thekwini College. Once we'd made our choice, we approached other vendors, Rockwell Automation and Metso, to aid with the process equipment,” says Marneweck.  

"This is the first time we have relied on a third party to maintain the equipment. We discovered that the college itself did not have the skills to maintain the equipment or provide technical support. We approached TEKmation do this and the company stepped in and installed and commissioned the instrumentation.”

Endress+Hauser, Rockwell Automation and Metso provided the instrumentation and equipment for four fully functional working stations.

"We will maintain and provide upgrades and new technology to the facility and will be providing training to TEKmation if needed, so that they can maintain the equipment and pass that knowledge on.”

Marneweck adds that the ongoing success of the first instrumentation school at the Pretoria West Campus of the Tshwane South College enables Endress+Hauser to provide the new school with valuable insight, knowledge and expertise.

Eight trainees will be enrolled in the practical module per trimester and will comprise of industry trainees and students from the college. This number is expected to grow in the coming years.  The first graduating class will be in 2008.

The facility was opened in the last week of January by acting rector, Dr. Gavin Chapman with Peter Wetzer, Corporate Sales Director from the Endress+Hauser head office in Switzerland and Logie Naidoo, Deputy Mayor of Durban, unveiling the plaque. Also present was Dave Govender, Director of TEKmation Training Institute, Tony Jacobsen, Endress+Hauser MD, Nico Marneweck, Endress+Hauser Training Manager and Dr. Nzama, the General Manager of FET Colleges.