Dr. Steve Mackay is the founder of the Engineering Institute of Technology. He firmly believes in Nelson Mandela’s mantra that, “Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world.” His leadership has inspired EIT’s unique and distinctive approach to engineering education.

Since 2008 three core objectives define the essence of the institute:

Collaborating comprehensively with industry to ensure graduates are job-ready.
Employing platforms of learning to facilitate student accessibility and engagement.
Keeping the business of education student-centric.

Dr. Mackay has enjoyed a varied career in engineering, having worked in automation, data acquisition, instrumentation, data communications, and process control throughout Australia, Europe, Africa, and North America over the past 35 years. He has successfully pioneered the application of new technologies in Australia and overseas, installing industrial data communication systems and implementing live online education, (including remote laboratories), for engineering students worldwide. Dr. Mackay has been involved in a range of industries, including power stations, mining, mineral processing, oil/gas/petrochemical plants, and platforms. He has presented courses on industrial data communications, data acquisition, instrumentation, and process control to over 30,000 engineers and technicians worldwide for clients such as NASA, Rolls Royce, and BP. He has also co-authored and edited 25 engineering books that have been published across the world. Dr. Mackay is a Fellow of Engineers Australia with a license to practice as a Chemical, Mechanical, and Electrical Chartered Professional Engineer. As Dean of the Engineering Institute of Technology, Dr. Mackay leads the institute in providing microcredentials and engineering qualifications to over 2000 students per year from 140 countries. He has an unswerving focus on student outcomes and on excellence in education.

Engineering the next generation computer

July 18, 2011 7:57 am
Dear colleagues Are we reaching the end of the road with the relentless continuous drop in computer prices and surge in performance? There are some interesting changes lurching into view. Intel has been the forerunner in CPU chip design (with 80% of the market for PC CPUs) but the ending...Read More

New isn’t always better in engineering a product

June 28, 2011 7:55 am
The Art of Support: EIT’s Learning Support Officers InformationCategory Education10 September 2020Written by: Quintus Potgieter The Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) is a unique global institute, delivering online engineering short courses, diplomas, and degrees. Students around the world log into EIT’s synchronous online virtual campus to network with other... Read...Read More

Power Engineering to jumpstart careers

June 21, 2011 7:54 am
Dear Colleagues Even as long ago as the 1970's, our engineering school saw massively declining enrolments in power systems engineering. Everyone wanted to undertake the high tech type electronics courses. Students were unexcited by power engineering as they perceived it to be old, inflexible and industrial ‘smoke stack’ type engineering....Read More

Engineering professionals need to be vigilant about energy safety

June 14, 2011 7:53 am
As we know – engineering professionals hugely underestimate their contribution and role in industry and the community. An interesting commentary from Albert (‘Al’) Koenig, past-statutory head of the Office of EnergySafety Western Australia (who now mixes diverse consulting interests with time on his beloved Bertram35). He feels strongly about safety...Read More

Being ferociously technically competent is not enough

June 7, 2011 7:52 am
Dear Colleagues Why do some engineering professionals rise rapidly to the top of their organisations? Admittedly some of you will remark grimly that it is due to their superior politicking abilities. Probably very true on occasion. But for engineers and technicians to be successful, you do need something more. And...Read More

Be passionate about your engineering

May 31, 2011 9:11 am
I become quite motivated and energised when I meet people passionate about their work. I have always believed one of the main keys to success in engineering is simply being passionate about what you do. Whether it is in business or your personal life; passion is the driving force. This...Read More

Immutable tagging and documentation done by engineering professionals

May 24, 2011 7:50 am
I am currently on a roadshow presenting on a variety of subjects from industrial data comms and process control to electrical arc flash protection, which makes me think faintly of ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ but there you go. Thanks for the hundreds of participants for rocking up....Read More

As a true engineering professional you are forever young

May 17, 2011 7:49 am
If you are a true engineering professional, never let your age be of the slightest interest to you. It is completely irrelevant. You only need to look at the vast army of older highly experienced engineering professionals adding enormous value to seek inspiration. Physically fit and lean, Vernon is one...Read More

Magnificent growth in biomedical engineering and industrial IT

May 11, 2011 12:57 pm
In the late seventies, medical electronics was a pretty tough business. I remember doubtfully fingering a huge rather primitive heart pacemaker for some (presumably) live patient, designed at our engineering school, while Christiaan Barnard, the heart surgeon, gave a brief (we were but mere engineering students) but passionate lecture on...Read More

Put your engineering career today on the high road

May 3, 2011 12:55 pm
We are almost half way through the year. Hopefully you are one of the 14% who keep your New Year's resolutions especially in terms of your engineering career ? Some suggestions below from those who have achieved success in their career. Peter Drucker, the famous management guru, remarked that first...Read More

What mechanical engineering professionals need to know about the electrics in mechatronics design

April 28, 2011 12:54 pm
Dear Colleagues, Electrical and mechanical engineering professionals often lose track of important issues in each other’s field. Mechatronics is an excellent example of multidisciplinary engineering often combining state-of-the-art mechanical and electrical engineering with control and instrumentation thrown in. Some tips follow for the mechanical guys in creating the best design...Read More

Blow your audience away with a brilliant Engineering Presentation

April 27, 2011 12:53 pm
Dear Colleagues The process of capturing and retaining the attention of other people has such simple rules but is nevertheless often ignored by engineering professionals. I freely admit that I am not a particularly good presenter; but these rules help me enormously in getting good results in my presentations. Naturally,...Read More

You and the true engineering artist

April 13, 2011 12:52 pm
'Until the first electrician picks up a screwdriver to implement your clever engineering design, all your theory is meaningless, my lad' was a remark my dad used to not infrequently make to me. When I was a young engineer, I trained under a number of cra-ftsmen – who taught me...Read More

Troubleshooting the workhorse of engineering industry – the PLC

April 6, 2011 12:52 pm
Dear Colleagues One of the workhorses in industry – no matter whether you are in industrial automation, electrical or mechanical engineering, you are likely to be confronted with one of these little fellahs - a Programmable Logic Controller or PLC (or indeed, Programmable Automation Controller – PAC).  A critical cheap...Read More

Engineering usability over the precipice

March 30, 2011 12:50 pm
Dear Colleagues Perhaps like you, I tend to get somewhat peevish when confronted with yet another ghastly software package or computer interface which is unusable without considerable (indeed mind altering) training. And yet, surely usability is one of our most vital missions or requirements when designing and building a product...Read More

Today, do some engineering Brainstorming to achieve greater creativity

March 24, 2011 12:50 pm
Dear Colleagues, I constantly feel bankrupt for good engineering ideas or in solving thorny problems. A colleague gave me a few good suggestions as per below. And a great 30p. chapter on pH measurement from our analytical instrumentation manual at the end of this note. Engineering professionals have to be...Read More

Engineering your ambition to forge ahead

March 17, 2011 12:49 pm
Dear Colleagues, Unconventional Wisdom about Management and Power - why some people have it and others don't by Jeffrey Pfeffer (professor of management at Stanford) has some useful tips for engineering professionals. As we have discussed extensively in the past, to ahead in your company and career, it is sadly...Read More

The rocket-like ascent of software engineers

March 14, 2011 12:48 pm
Dear Colleagues, When NASA lost an expensive Mars orbiter (which burnt out descending too quickly) because a Lockheed Martin engineering deparment mistakenly used English units of measurement while NASA used the metric system for a key spacecraft operation, many of us probably sighed and thought of incorrectly configured software and...Read More

A useful Toolbox of ten secrets for brilliant engineering, IT & Tech Suppor

March 1, 2011 12:47 pm
The Art of Support: EIT’s Learning Support Officers InformationCategory Education10 September 2020Written by: Quintus Potgieter The Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) is a unique global institute, delivering online engineering short courses, diplomas, and degrees. Students around the world log into EIT’s synchronous online virtual campus to network with other... Read...Read More

Engineering an Industrial Ethernet system

February 23, 2011 12:46 pm
Dear Colleagues Last week, I sighed in horror when I walked into a noisy hot industrial chemical plant and spotted the office-type commercial Ethernet hardware being used (with those weak RJ-45 connectors). Sure – you spend less money and get freely available off-the-shelf components, but you may get more problems...Read More

Engineering your way softly forward

February 23, 2011 12:45 pm
Dear Colleagues I see in a slew of recent newspaper reports that companies are increasingly hiring those technical specialists who have soft skills. To be quite frank with you, the need for engineering professionals to acquire soft skills often sounds like some sort of bizarre cop-out. As we all know,...Read More

Why our drawings systems are broken and what to do about it

February 23, 2011 12:44 pm
Dear Colleagues When it comes to extensive use of CAD-based drawings, I sometimes wonder whether this comment is true: ‘What we call progress is the exchange of one nuisance for another nuisance’ (Havelock Ellis). My good sparring partner, Dermot Kennedy (CEO of the firm I&E Systems – systems engineers) will...Read More

Give a helping mentoring hand to your new engineering graduate

February 23, 2011 12:43 pm
The Art of Support: EIT’s Learning Support Officers InformationCategory Education10 September 2020Written by: Quintus Potgieter The Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) is a unique global institute, delivering online engineering short courses, diplomas, and degrees. Students around the world log into EIT’s synchronous online virtual campus to network with other... Read...Read More

So what is wrong with the humble pot – engineering reflections and philosophy?

February 16, 2011 12:42 pm
Dear Colleagues The ‘pot’ or potentiometer as it is called, is one of the workhorses of electrical and electronic engineering. I believe we can all still remember working with a pot on some sideline design or in a work related application. They have been around a long time. There are...Read More

Engineering money out of muck

February 10, 2011 12:41 pm
The Art of Support: EIT’s Learning Support Officers InformationCategory Education10 September 2020Written by: Quintus Potgieter The Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) is a unique global institute, delivering online engineering short courses, diplomas, and degrees. Students around the world log into EIT’s synchronous online virtual campus to network with other... Read...Read More

Drive your brilliant engineering career upwards in 2011

January 21, 2011 12:40 pm
The Art of Support: EIT’s Learning Support Officers InformationCategory Education10 September 2020Written by: Quintus Potgieter The Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) is a unique global institute, delivering online engineering short courses, diplomas, and degrees. Students around the world log into EIT’s synchronous online virtual campus to network with other... Read...Read More

As Engineering professionals we need to be Foolish more often in Engineering

January 18, 2011 8:47 am
As engineering professionals we are all trained to be logical and rational and rely on proven facts in making decisions. The approach with engineers is to vigorously apply the blowtorch to any concept which is rather nebulous and stick to solid engineering design practice. However as Margot Cairnes, a leadership...Read More

Engineering the ski against the snowboard

January 6, 2011 12:39 pm
Dear colleagues First of all - best wishes for a great 2011 and thanks for reading this. The signs are that this is going to be an excellent year for engineering professionals - no matter where you are in the world, the demand for your services is rapidly increasing. As...Read More

Intrinsic Safety to the rescue of industrial data communications systems

December 20, 2010 12:38 pm
Dear Colleagues I am always filled with some horror when I look at the quality of documents I have put together some time ago. So, an improved version on Myths and Best  Practice with industrial data communications and hazardous areas at the end of this. Forgive my terse dispatch this...Read More

Liven up your engineering design with intelligent MCCs

December 1, 2010 12:36 pm
Dear Colleagues, As an engineering professional, you have no doubt come across MCCs (or motor control centres) at some time in your life. This is an assembly of one or more enclosed sections having a common power bus, mainly containing motor control units. This can include variable frequency/speed drives, PLCs...Read More