The B.Tech degree: how does SA industry see it?

Preparations for the B. Tech degree started in 1988 and the first degree in Engineering was awarded in 1995. The aim was to bridge the gap between the Technikon diploma and the University degree. The B.Tech contains an industry-focussed research component, clearly making it an upgrade on the National Higher Diploma (T4). This research obtained feedback from the Electrical, Mechanical and Civil Engineering industries. Findings are based on the response to more than 800 questionnaires sent out to people with substantial involvement in the engineering field. Based on the feedback obtained, the following are some of the conclusions made: (i) the majority of employers in industry have only an adequate (or less) knowledge of the B.Tech degree; (ii) the future demand for employment will be greatest for the National Diploma, followed by B.Tech graduates, followed in turn by B.Sc graduates; and (iii) the perception of the B.Tech is in line with a degree, rather than a diploma.