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Dear Estelle
There are a number of options for people in your son’s situation:

• Complete a UNISA distance learning National Diploma: Engineering (Mechanical) http://brochure.unisa.ac.za/brochure/showprev.aspx?d=l_4_23&f=p_NDEMC and after work experience register as a professional engineering technician.
• Enrol for the first year National Diploma: Engineering (Mechanical) with UNISA and then apply to the University of Technology again. If he has done well he may even get some subjects credited.
• Once your son has completed a National Diploma he could go on to complete a BTech degree with a University of Technology and after practical experience apply for registration as a professional engineering technologist. By the way UNISA also offers BTech Degrees.
• After completing a BTech degree your son may be able to apply for admission to a university conversion course and then complete a BSc engineering degree.
• We suggest you also contact the UNISA Access and Matriculation Exemption Office at: 0861670411 or 0116709000; E-mail: ame@unisa.ac.za to see if there are any access courses you son may be able to enrol for to help him access a BSc degree. If this is possible then after completing the access courses your son may be able to apply for admission for a BSc degree with subject s like Mathematics, Physical Science and Information Technology or Computer Science. After completing this year your son may be able to apply for admission to a BSc Engineering degree at the university of his choice.

For more information on professional registration please consult the Engineering Council of South Africa’s web page: http://www.ecsa.co.za/

We hope this information will help you help your son help himself. Let us know how he gets on.

Lynn and the Career Planet Team