Why partnering with iGEMS is an important initiative

If you are familiar with Haslop & Mason, you’ll know that we take corporate social responsibility very seriously. Upskilling and investing in our community is good for the community — it’s good for us, too. It helps us spot talent, nurture it, and reward it.

So, when it comes to developing young engineering minds, we’ve partnered with Incubating Great Engineering Minds (iGEMS), a four–phase education–to–employment initiative run by the Unity in Africa Foundation.

iGEMS focuses on skills development and the empowerment of the youth through a comprehensive programme that covers practical skills, ethical leadership and professional communication.

“When we were approached to partner with iGEMS, the fit was immediately obvious,” says Haslop & Mason managing member Kevin Dersley.

After completing Phase 1 – intensive maths, science and digital literacy, and leadership development – students are placed in internships for a year before going on to tertiary education and, in most cases, employment.

“We love that this programme gives candidates a head start in future studies, preparing them for the rigours of study and exposing them to the entire landscape of the engineering supply chain before they begin.

“iGEMS is adding highly employable and skilled people to the South African economy. It is also enabling low-risk recruitment for participating companies. It’s a win-win for all,” Dersley adds.

Early in February, 11 students participated in their first Engineering Solutions “thinking session” at Haslop & Mason. They were welcomed by Dersley, who offered insights into warehouse operations, explaining how similar principles are applied in manufacturing plants.

Thinking ‘Lean’

Lead trainer Amber-Lee Fourie introduced the Lean methodology – for most, a new way of thinking.

Lean is a way of operating that streamlines processes by eliminating waste and improving efficiency. Originating from manufacturing practices applied by Toyota in its formative years, it is widely used today in various industries.

A notable example of Lean application is the reduction of Formula 1 pit-stop times through the use of a Lean tool known as Single-Minute Exchange of Dies, or SMED, which reduces equipment changeover times to a few seconds. Another tool is the value stream – a visual guide to all the components necessary to deliver a product or service.

The application of the value stream helped McDonald's drastically reduce hamburger production times. The entire Lean methodology is extremely valuable in manufacturing and supply settings.

For Haslop & Mason, Lean warehouse management optimises storage space, prevents overstocking and stockouts, reduces inventory touchpoints, eliminates bottlenecks and simplifies operations.

Taking a walk

Having been introduced to the theory, students took a Gemba Walk, or warehouse tour. ’Gemba’ means ‘the place where value is created’ in Japanese.

Taking a Gemba Walk involves going to the place where the work happens, observing processes, engaging with workers, identifying possible inefficiencies, and discussing solutions.

Students were divided into two groups and encouraged to take notes and ask questions as they sought to understand operations from their beginning to their completion.

The exercise was extremely valuable. It revealed the value of attention to detail and indicated just how many steps are involved in seemingly simple operations. What emerged from this ‘breaking down’ process were many small opportunities for improvement at each step of the supply business.

Haslop & Mason staff were active participants in this process, documenting all issues raised and then, together with the engineering students, discussing possible solutions.

The students' feedback after the workshop was very positive. This was their first exposure to the Lean methodology, which, when applied, can result in subtle but important alterations in processes that save time and materials.

Dersly said that Haslop & Mason would be hosting further training sessions with promising young engineering candidates, and added: “We encourage other local companies to get involved in the iGEMS programme in whatever way they can.”