Tshwane University Alumni Tell Engineers: Degrees Alone Won't Do It

A qualification may open the door to a career, but it will not carry an engineer through it. That was the blunt message delivered to students at the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment's (FEBE) Alumni Roundtable Engagement, held at The Capital Menlyn Maine on 27 October 2026 and reported by Mosima Rafapa of Tshwane University of Technology.

The event gathered alumni, industry professionals, students and faculty representatives to discuss workplace expectations, emerging industry trends and business opportunities. What it did not produce, at least according to the account, is any concrete commitment from industry partners — the ask remains an ask.

What did the faculty ask for?

FEBE Executive Dean Prof Mxolisi Shongwe opened by listing the faculty's achievements in student innovation, research and industry-focused initiatives. He then called on alumni and industry partners to contribute to curriculum alignment, mentoring and entrepreneurship support.

"We want to strengthen the relationship between FEBE, our alumni and industry so that we can better prepare our graduates for the demands of the workplace. Our alumni have valuable experience and insights that can help us identify skills gaps, create opportunities for mentorship and support young graduates who want to start their own businesses," said Prof Shongwe.

The statement is aspirational. No targets, budgets or timelines accompanied it.

How should the curriculum change?

Dr Isaac Tlhabadira, FEBE Assistant Dean for Special Projects, Work Integrated Learning and Community Engagement, led the panel. He argued that academic programmes must keep pace with emerging technologies, software and equipment — an implicit admission that curricula can lag the workplace.

"Our intention is to produce graduates who are not just good, but great. That means listening to industry, understanding how workplaces are changing and ensuring that our curriculum responds to those needs. The engagement also allows our students to learn directly from alumni, who can share practical advice and help them understand what employers expect beyond their academic qualifications," said Dr Tlhabadira.

In plain words: the faculty wants industry, not only lecturers, to define what counts as readiness.

Which skills did practitioners flag?

The panel stressed technical competence alone is insufficient. Koketso Segale, a Training, Development and Talent Officer at an engineering manufacturing company, named three attributes graduates lack at their peril:

• Communication
• Time management
• Conflict management

Electrical Engineering alumnus Daddy Khuselo, with 25 years in industry — a quarter-century of hiring and workplace experience — went further, arguing qualifications guarantee nothing.

"Graduates also need to develop their attitudes just as they develop their craft. This means having a teachable spirit, a willingness to learn from others, and openness to feedback. Effective communication is important because, no matter how good an idea is, people won't support it if you can't communicate its value. Students should prepare for the workplace while they are still studying by developing these skills and learning about the industries they want to work in," said Khuselo.

The takeaway: soft skills are a study subject, not an afterthought.

Can alumni actually create jobs?

Metallurgical Engineering alumnus Mpho Kgatla offered proof of concept. He founded Mpho Kgatla Holdings in 2019; its venture, MK Refineries, consults to mines and refineries and has opened doors for FEBE students and graduates entering the mining sector.

"There are opportunities in the mining sector, but you must identify the gaps and find ways to address them. For me, entrepreneurship is not only about building a successful business. It is also about creating opportunities for others, including young graduates who need a chance to gain experience and enter the industry," said Kgatla.

No revenue or headcount figures for the holding company were disclosed, so the scale of that proof remains unclear.

Sir Stuart Ntlathi, founder of the Stuart Ntlathi Science, Engineering & Technology Institute, urged aspiring entrepreneurs to invest in their own ideas before asking others to.

What money is on the table?

The funding discussion carried specifics. Mahlatse Mothapo, Deputy Director of Strategic Partnerships and Customer Care Incentives at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, outlined two state programmes:

• The Black Industrialists Scheme
• The Manufacturing Support Programme

Qualifying businesses may access non-repayable grants, conditional on programme requirements and their potential contribution to job creation, industrial growth and transformation. What those requirements demand in practice — matching capital, sector caps, application timelines — went unstated.

The roundtable closed the gap between lecture hall and workplace for one evening. Whether the promised mentorship and curriculum alignment materialise will depend on the same alumni and companies now being asked to volunteer them.