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A group of WSU students participating in the WACE trans-national project are challenged to analyse project briefs and come up with solutions for international business challenges to keep them operating effectively towards their vision.
Connecting 9 student members per institution, across eight countries, the WACE trans-national project experience facilitates industry projects, cultural intelligence training, project presentations and reflection sessions for students.
Countries taking place in the challenge are South Africa, Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Namibia, Pakistan, Tajikastan, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vietnam.
“The project that I am in is for Argo Natural Resources in the United Kingdom. The organisation deals with E-waste materials that use anything with a plug, electric cord or battery that has reached its end of life. The organization deals with the recycling of metals, which are said to be of positive impact to the environment and use less dangerous chemicals. The company’s vision is to rethink natural resources,” said Bachelor of Education student, Bulelwa Nonkobongo.
In the challenge, global student teams undertake online projects to help businesses, government and community organisations identify practical shared value initiatives to create social, environmental and economic value.
Project Co-ordinator, Nontuthuzelo Ngubane, said, “I participate in a series of global Work Integrated Learning (WIL) online modules offered by the university of Waterloo, Canada. Through my participation I became exposed to online WIL projects ran by WACE and Practera; and I thereafter indicated interest for WSU to participate.”
The students meet online in their teams once or twice a week while considering the different time zones and the amount of work that needs to be done.
Educational Sciences student, Lihle Mbekela said, “My role in my group currently is to dig more information about the competitors of our client. Towards the company I suggest new strategies to attract customers and I have to make sure that these strategies are not similar to the competitors’ and they are conducive to keep the client’s business forward.”
Another Bachelor of Education student taking part in the project, Sitole Sitsaba said, “What I have learnt from this project thus far is to solve real industry challenge for my client and working with a diverse group of people and get the Global industry experience.”
The students should be submitting the final drafts of their research findings for their various clients soon as they are close to wrapping up the project in July.
The companies that were being serviced by the students are expected to respond towards WACE about the assistance the students provided towards them and WACE will feedback to the students whether they were useful towards their operation.
Educational Sciences student, Sakhe Mpikwa, said, “From my role of being a creative and come up with fresh sustainable ideas in my group, office management skills such as problem solving skills, organisational skills and communication are one of the skills that I have learned from this project. I have learned to be bold enough to voice my opinions in a confident yet professional and positive manner.”
The project which commenced on the 28 June 2021 will be coming to an end on the 22 July 2021 for the WSU students even though the project will be active until, November 2022. WSU was part of the first group on the project and another group will be recruited at a later stage.
- Anita Roji
