Engineers and technicians are often expected to have a breadth of technical knowledge, sometimes spanning a range of disciplines. (This is despite increasing specialization in the workplace.)
To acquire broad skill sets is onerous and an ongoing endeavour, but does prevent tedium and boredom in the workplace. It also equates to improved employability because versatility is extraordinarily attractive to employers. (And for those considering a future in a business of their own, this versatility is critical.)
One of EIT’s recent graduates, Jean Jacques Missango (JJ), is just such an employee. He is from Cameroon, but now based in Canada. As a gas turbine specialist, with electronic and electrical skills and some mechanical aptitude, he straddles the different engineering fields. He explains that he is working in his ‘dream career’; performing general overhauls, routine and non-routine mechanical, electrical and instrumentation maintenance, repairs and trouble shooting of turbines.
JJ had always wanted to further his knowledge in the field and realised that EIT’s online Professional Certificate of Competency in Gas Turbine Engineering meant that he could continue to work and, alongside side this, complete his studies.
When it comes to online learning with EIT, JJ states that ‘The efficiency of this (learning) method is just incredible’.
As a part of his studies, JJ was required to attend live, online webinars and exclaims that attendance was well worth it. He refers to his lecturer as a ‘master’ on the topic and feels that this real time component (of an otherwise online program) was responsible for keeping his passion for the course alive. He also explains that scheduled webinar times allowed him to keep work a priorty.
JJ makes special mention of the student support provided by the EIT team. His dedicated Learning Support Officer gave both the administrative assistance and ongoing encouragement needed to help him through the course.
In conclusion, JJ makes a heartening comment. He believes the course contributed to his improved confidence and ‘considerable status change’, both of which have ‘fueled’ his desire to continue learning.
Thanks very much to JJ for his help in compiling this Student Story.
From all of us here at EIT, our congratulations go to JJ for graduating from the Professional Certificate of Competency in Gas Turbine Engineering.
