Bandile Nqindi has spent the past six months in a desperate search for an internship or job using his national diploma in mechanical engineering.
Nqindi, 25, matriculated from Vulindlela Senior Secondary School in 2012 and went on to pursue a national diploma in mechanical engineering at Walter Sisulu University in 2013; he completed the course in January 2018 and graduated in October.
He says he has been actively looking for an internship or job since June 2018 and to date has found nothing.
“For the past six months I have not had any luck in getting a job. I need this internship or job to help me fund my studies this year. Without it I am unable to continue studying as I am willing to do a BTech in mechanical engineering this academic year,” he said.
To pass time Nqindi is a member of Umthombo weKamva NGO. It helps students from rural areas who do not have internet, gain access to institutions of higher learning by helping them apply for admission and financial aid.
“For now we are focusing in the rural areas of Port St Johns,” he said.
Nqindi says he has always been intrigued by technology and engineering was the obvious choice for him.
“I chose mechanical engineering because I am passionate about technology. I had questions about things like engineering structures, robots and how they work and so I was motivated to apply for mechanical engineering in varsity.
“The first challenge I faced was thinking that in university it is easier and I am going to relax – that is what we were told by teachers in high school then you start to realise it’s tough when it’s exams and unfortunately it’s very late to catch up at that stage.
“In my first year I also had to deal with things like using computers, that was new for me; I had to learn how to use it very quickly because assignments and projects, power point presentations are tasked almost every week and it was compulsory to have them typed out.”
“Just like in any course of study you have to work hard, be committed to your studies, always try to figure out things by yourself, and be able to work as a team when grouped together,” he explained...