Academics

The aim of the subject Civil Technology is to develop the skills levels of learners from Grade 10-12 to such an extent that they will be able to enter a career pathway at a Further Education and Training college or a university immediately
after obtaining the National Senior Certificate. Learners will be ready to enter into learnerships or apprenticeships that will prepare them for a trade test.

Through the integrated completion of theoretical work and the practical assessment tasks (PAT) skills in respect of
the following will be developed:
• safe working practices;
• good housekeeping;
• first aid practices;
• interpretation of working drawings;
• erection of structures;
• working with accurate measurements; and
• workshop practice

Knowledge of subject principles, combined with applied skills, equips the Civil Technology learner with a unique set of
skills, placing her or him apart from other learners and in a category much desired by industry, tertiary institutions and
Entrepreneurs.

Learners with Civil Technology as a subject fare markedly better during the first two years at tertiary
level when studying engineering than learners without this background, giving them an advantage when studying
Engineering.

• Safety
• Materials
• Equipment
• Graphics and communications
• Terminology
• Applied mechanics
• Construction
• Civil services
• Quantities
• Joining

Each learner should have access to:
• a textbook;
• a workshop with tools and equipment;
• a variety of civil engineering and building industry magazines and reference books;
• drawing equipment;
• a calculator;
• measuring equipment, tools and consumable items for civil technology;

PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT TASK
(PAT)
Accounts for the skills the learner has mastered. This is assessed at intervals and requires the learner to engage in multiple practical sessions. During these weekly sessions, skills such as simulation, experimentation, hand skills, tool skills, machine skills and workshop practice are honed and perfected to the point where the learner may engage in the tasks set for that particular term.

•Floors should have the required demarcated markings and all areas should be clearly defined using green, yellow and black pain, in line with industry standards.
• Rubber mats should be installed in areas where learners will work with installations that will be energised
• Subject related posters
• Workshop assistant technically trained in woodworking, building site machines and powertools. A higher qualification in technical subjects woodworking and construction.
• The school should build up a collection of models.

• Safety equipment
• Tools and equipment
• Consumable materials
• PAT resources
• Teaching and learning support material
• Preventative maintenance
• Maintenance

Learners offering Civil Technology will opt for one of the following career opportunities:
• apprenticeship to become an artisan;
• continued studies at a college in the NC(V) in a vocational career pathway;
• higher education at a university of technology;
• higher education at a university (to study engineering);
• working as an entrepreneur or working with an entrepreneur; or
• higher education to study technical education in order to become a teacher of technology.

The learner in Mechanical Technology needs to be interested in any form of mechanical entities. It can be cars, planes, trains, welding, maintenance, etc.

• In order to be successful the learner also has to enrol preferably in Mathematics, Physical Science and
Engineering Graphics and Design, as they all form part of the technical studying field.
• Mechanical Technology in essence is applied science, as the field of work includes trigonometry, Newton’s laws and chemical equations when dealing with certain welding techniques, fuel combustion, fuel injection, cooling systems, etc.

• safety – Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act;
o tools and equipment;
o materials – ferrous and non-ferrous materials and alloys and the iron-carbon equilibrium diagram;
• terminology – manufacturing processes with reference to lathes (diameter turning, taper cutting, screw cutting). and milling machines (cutting methods, dividing head, centring of cutter);
• joining methods – permanent (welding) and semi-permanent (bolts, nuts and rivets) joints;
• forces – forces, moments, Young’s modulus, stress and strain;
• maintenance;
• systems and control:
o mechanical – gears, belts, pulleys, power transmission, chains, clutches, cams, levers, etc;
o hydraulics – pistons, valves, Pascal’s law;
o pneumatics;
o electrical wiring – starting and charging circuits; and
o electronic applications – antilock braking system (ABS), fuel injection, air bag control, etc.;
• engines – diesel and petrol, four and two stroke;
• pumps – centrifugal, water; and
• turbines – super and turbo chargers, gas and steam turbines.

Each learner should have:
• a textbook;
• The school should subscribe to at least one or two industrial and mechanical engineering magazines
• The teacher should have a variety of reference books, charts and brochures in the classroom to stimulate the learners’ interest in the subject.
• Schools offering Mechanical Technology must have a well-equipped workshop for learners to complete the practical assessment tasks. The classroom/workshop needs to be secure, with doors that lock, and burglar proof.
• Enough storage space should be available to store and lock all resources. Resources to offer Mechanical
• Technology as a subject are the responsibility of the school. The school should build up a collection of models, e.g. by asking learners, parents or mechanical, electrical and electronic repair workshops and suppliers to donate models.

• Floors should have the required demarcated markings and all areas should be clearly defined using green, yellow and black pain, in line with industry standards.
• Rubber mats should be installed in areas where learners will work with installations that will be energised
• Subject related posters
• Workshop assistant technically trained in heavy current / electronics / digital electronics
• The school should build up a collection of models, e.g. by asking learners, parents or mechanical, electrical and electronic repair workshops and suppliers to donate models.

• Safety equipment
• Tools and equipment
• Consumable materials
• PAT resources
• Teaching and learning support material
• Preventative maintenance
• Maintenance

• Fitting and Turning
• Automotive
• Welding & Metal work