The SA explosives industry will send a high level delegation to Shrivenham campus of Cranfield University in the UK in September.

The team will ask assistance and offer knowledge exchange in developing local training and qualifications standards.
A working group of the Nixt Advisory Forum supports the initiative of the Unisa Bureau for Business Studies (BBS).
The discussion included explosives manufacturers, distributors, legislators, inspectors, Sheq officials, blasters, defence users, and hazardous waste operators. Local industry "seems to find itself in a similar position to that of EU nations, with a perceived loss of explosives expertise and need for coherent and integrated learning provision in explosives", found Akhavan, Wallace, Nilson and Wallin in a 2006 study. Seven themes and discussion points to be explored by the training team, were identified by the forum.

Practical training

Due to the need for practical training in explosives qualifications, the team will explore how Cranfield deals with balancing theoretical and applied, experiential skills components.
International best practice and benchmarking systems for practical training is part of the brief, since most students have few opportunities to experience hands on training under site conditions.
Mechanisms for combining practical experience and practical assessment into existing curricula will be explored.
Sharing of scarce resources would be investigated and qualification providers would approach practical providers like the CSIR for access to facilities or training centres for practical laboratory training.

Training streams

Expansion of different streams in explosives education and training is necessitated by divergent requirements of stakeholders in the explosives industry.
The aim is competence in technical, managerial and safety requirements in all stages of explosives management, from laboratory research and technical formulation, to manufacture, storage, transportation, handling, use and waste disposal.
Explosives engineering and management present different skills challenges and different streams of practice in mining.
Explosives providers and regulatory bodies should remain involved in training development.

Qualification levels

Core qualifications with generic content and specialisation streams would require a coherent qualifications framework in explosives, spanning FET and higher education sectors.
The local team would explore cascading of qualifications to different levels, and dynamics of Cranfield's interaction with undergraduate qualifications from other UK providers in the explosives field.
A functional map and competency framework in the UK for explosives workers, provides valuable guidelines, with 440 competencies packaged into 24 vocational qualifications, divided into operator, supervisor and manager levels, covering 13 key roles.
Articulation of explosives management diplomas and graduates into Cranfield qualifications is on the discussion list, along with the need for specialised and customised training in industry sectors, and the cost feasibility for training providers.

International bridging

The SA team will explore bridging requirements for access to Cranfield and other international qualifications, by way of collaboration or articulation with local training.
The EU Excert process may be relevant to the local industry. The University of Derby's Diploma in Quarry Technology and online certificate training of the International Society of Explosives Engineers, were also investigated.

Sharing knowledge

Collaboration in knowledge sharing should relate to learning material relevant to explosives training, that is not necessarily restricted by proprietary considerations. These should be accessible to providers for the shared benefit of the industry.
Knowledge management and sharing practices spanning various institutions could augment the relevance and quality of the content of existing learning material and course content.
Local learning material would be enriched by knowledge sharing. Examples of such sources were earlier identified as Claude Cunningham publications of AECI, and Mining Qualification Authority learning material at NQF Levels 5 and 6.

Training in the field

Due to concerns regarding the preponderance of theoretical training, and limited practical or experiential learning components, the team would explore how Cranfield incorporates formal mentorship or practical training in their qualifications.
Harmonising quality assurance processes of training providers and short courses to common standards, and benchmarks for accreditation, would be pursued. The EU Excert model may provide a useful vehicle for such initiatives. Initiatives like the EU Excert project are perceived to counteract the brain drain.

Range of course modules

Cranfield may be asked to expand its short courses, to cater for sectors like commercial, manufacturing, military, and specific roles or career streams, like blasters and technologists, by way of distance learning media.

Local developments

In SA, promulgation of a new Higher Education Qualification Framework (HEQF) in 2007 has necessitated reconfiguration of National Diploma and B Tech qualifications in explosives management.

A course named the 'pink' course and short learning programme modules in explosives management, offered via the BBS, have been updated and was found to meet the competence requirements for Explosives Managers.

Compliance with regulatory quality assessment and accreditation requirements set by Unisa Senate and DOET and CHE, have largely been completed and create a new framework for expansion and review of existing offerings in the explosives field, prompting BBS to facilitate industry stakeholder engagement. NIXT Advisory Forum identified several current issues.

|BACK| COMMENT |