Are you interested in obtaining your Government Certificate of Competency (GCC) factories but are not sure if you have the right qualification and experience?
In this post, I share the three main routes that may lead to obtaining the GCC factories.
Before I discuss the three routes, please remember that I have answered the following questions in a different post (simply click the links to jump straight into the content):
'What is the Government Certificate of Competency (GCC) factories?' and
'What are the GCC factories requirements from the Department of Employment & Labour' to be accepted as a GCC factories candidate eligible to write the exams.
With that said, let's discuss the three routes.
Route 1 - Bachelor's in mechanical or electrical engineering
Must be in the position of a Bachelor's in Mechanical or Electrical engineering recognised by the Commission of Examiners.
Must have at least 2 years post-graduate experience in the maintenance and operation of mechanical or electrical machinery. The experience needs to be to the satisfaction of the Commission of Examiners.
The type of experience for all GCC factories applicants is the same. The experience needs to be in the maintenance and operation of mechanical or electrical machinery. The experience will be to the satisfaction of the Commission of Examiners.
NOTE: The bachelor's in electrical engineering needs to be in heavy current.
NOTE: The Department of Employment & Labour may allow other degrees apart from a mechanical or electrical engineering degree (e.g., chemical engineering, metallurgical engineering etc.). You need to submit your application with your qualifications. The Department will consider these situations on a case by case. But make sure you at least have the maintenance and operation experience in mechanical or electrical equipment.
Route 2 - National Higher Diploma (T4) or National Diploma (S4) in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
Must be in the position of a National Higher Diploma (T4) or National Diploma (S4) in mechanical or electrical engineering and passed each subject with a mark of at least 50%.
The educational institution needs to structure a curriculum that covers the electrical and mechanical courses according to the plant engineering syllabus. Click here to download the plant engineering syllabus that needs to be covered by the institution's syllabus.
Must at least have 2 years post-graduate experience in maintenance and operations of mechanical or electrical machinery. The experience needs to be to the satisfaction of the Commission of Examiners.
At least 1-year of the 2 years experience must be at a Factory.
Must have received necessary practical training to obtain National Higher Diploma (T4) or National Diploma (S4).
NOTE: The qualification referred to here is a national diploma that you will ordinarily obtain from a Higher Education and Training institution such as UNISA, UJ, VUT, etc. Applicants with a BTech also fall under the requirements of route 2.
NOTE: The institution's curriculum needs to cover the plant engineering syllabus. This means that you need to check that your curriculum covers:
safety & management,
electrical technology,
applied thermodynamics,
structures & strength of materials,
theory of machines,
fluid mechanics, and
environment management.
NOTE: You must submit your application with the Department of Employment and Labour before committing to doing any additional subjects.
NOTE: The national diploma in electrical engineering needs to be in heavy current.
Route 3 - National Technical N6 Diploma in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering Candidate Requirements
Must be in the position of a National Technical N6 Diploma in mechanical or electrical engineering and passed all the subjects with a mark of at least 50%.
Must have served an apprenticeship in appropriate trade and gained appropriate years of experience in the maintenance and operation of mechanical or electrical machinery and at least one year of such experience shall be at a factory. Click here for the acceptable trades and the experience required for the respective trades.
Must complete Plant Engineering Syllabus structured by TVET College as set out in technical college course and pass the subjects by at least 50%.
NOTE: The qualification referred to here is a national technical diploma that you will ordinarily obtain from a Training and Vocational Education & Training (TVET) college. These are the former called Further Education & Training (FET) college.
NOTE: The institution's curriculum needs to cover the plant engineering syllabus. This means that you need to check that your curriculum covers:
safety & management,
electrical technology,
applied thermodynamics,
structures & strength of materials,
theory of machines,
fluid mechanics, and
environment management.
NOTE: Fortunately, the national technical diploma is specific on the minimum subjects that are required to qualify to become a GCC factories candidate.
The engineering programmes recognised by the Department of Higher Education & Training are ordinarily acceptable qualifications that may be recognised by the commission of examiners.
Conclusion
There are three routes that may allow you to qualify as GCC factories candidate:
Route 1 is for applicants with a bachelor's degree in mechanical or electrical engineering obtained from a University
Route 2 is for applicants with a national diploma in mechanical or electrical engineering from a Higher Education and Training institution such as UNISA, UJ, VUT, etc.
Route 3 is for applicants with a national technical diploma in mechanical or electrical engineering from a TVET college (or the formerly FET colleges)
Route 2 applicants need to satisfy the Commission of Examiners that the educational institution's curriculum covers the plant engineering syllabus.
Route 3 applicants need to satisfy the Commission of Examiners that the educational institution's curriculum covers the plant engineering syllabus. And, the curriculum needs to consist of the minimum subjects for mechanical or electrical applicants.