Young professionals to lead economic growth
THE South African Bureau of Standards convention took place at the Sandton Convention Centre.
Dr Boni Mehlomakulu, chief executive officer of the bureau invited the media and delegates from various industries to the, Our Economy, Our Jobs themed convention. The main objective of the convention was to discuss how the bureau could ensure positive change, and directly contribute to the economy and job creation in South Africa.
The programme comprised of two plenary sessions addressing the challenges faced by South Africans.
Dr Sadhvir Bissoon, standards executive of the bureau said, “It is important to encourage young professionals to take an interest in standardisation.”
Bissoon said the world of standardisation needed to be more dynamic to better accommodate the ‘technology savvy’ young professionals.
Johan Ecksteen, senior director of international standards at Microsoft said, “A functioning standard system is critical in that it is a business enabler and it encourages improvement.” He said standardisation was a game of innovation and the bureau could use young professionals to maximise their systems.
Prof Jan Eloff, research associate at University of Pretoria supported the initiative to get more young professionals involved and interested in standardisation. He said, “Standards introduce young professionals to best practice and that is one of the things South Africa needs to grow its economy.”
Thembani Bukula, a national energy regulator member was all for ‘breaking tradition’ and creating a dynamic environment for young professionals to make a meaningful contribution to the country’s economy.
The general consensus at the convention was that the development of the South African economy and job creation was essentially in the hands of young professionals. “We need to adequately prepare our next generation with the skills to fill the next generation standards gap,” said Dr Michael Grant, honorary lecturer and young professional.
