GE Vernova and PROTEC graduate 27 students from Next Engineers Engineering Academy in Johannesburg
On October 1, 2026, GE Vernova and PROTEC held a graduation ceremony at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg for 27 students drawn from 9 high schools across the city. The cohort marks the third graduating class of the Next Engineers Engineering Academy — a college- and career-readiness program designed to help close South Africa’s STEM skills gap by exposing young people to hands-on engineering education and career pathways.
Third graduating class marks program milestone
The October 1 ceremony at Wits wasn’t just a graduation — it was a checkpoint. Twenty-seven learners walked across the stage with their families watching, making this the third consecutive graduating class since the Next Engineers Engineering Academy launched in 2022. That kind of consistency signals something important: the program has moved well past the experimental stage.
Those 27 graduates came from 9 high schools spread across Johannesburg — a genuine cross-section of the city. Behind them stood a network of partners: PROTEC, the University of the Witwatersrand, and the Kutitiva Foundation each had a hand in running the local program, and that multi-institution setup has given the academy a stable base to keep building from.
It functions as an on-ramp: exploratory, hands-on activities that introduce engineering concepts before learners are ready for the full Academy curriculum.
“Seeing these 27 graduates from the Next Engineers Academy in Johannesburg is proof of what happens when mentorship, hands-on experience and dedicated STEM education come together,” said Joseph Anis, President & CEO of GE Vernova’s Gas Power business in Europe, Middle East & Africa and a member of the GE Vernova Foundation board.
Program structure addresses South Africa’s STEM skills shortage
The Engineering Academy targets learners aged 15 to 18 and puts them through more than 180 hours of curriculum. That’s a real commitment — well beyond a workshop or a one-off intro session. The program blends immersive design challenges, career coaching, and mentorship to build both technical thinking and professional confidence.
GE Vernova’s own engineers have been central to that effort. Since 2022, they’ve logged over 3,700 volunteer hours locally — sustained, hands-on engagement rather than occasional guest appearances.
For younger students, there’s also an Engineering Discovery program aimed at 13- to 14-year-olds. It functions as an on-ramp: exploratory, hands-on activities that introduce engineering concepts before learners are ready for the full Academy curriculum. Together, the two tracks create a pipeline capable of meeting students wherever they happen to be in secondary school.
Scholarships and bursaries support graduate pathways
Finishing the program is one thing. Affording what comes next is another matter entirely. Next Engineers has awarded over $200,000 in scholarships to qualifying graduates since launch — a direct attempt to close that gap.
GE Vernova has gone further through its External Bursary Program, awarding full bursaries to 20 additional graduates from this and previous cohorts. For students who have the drive and ability but face genuine financial barriers to tertiary education, that support can be the difference between enrolling and not enrolling.
Many of the 27 graduates plan to pursue engineering qualifications at universities or technical institutions. Career mentors and hands-on experience were repeatedly cited as key factors in feeling ready for that next step — which suggests the program’s impact reaches well beyond a certificate and into real preparation.
PROTEC CEO Balan Moodley put it plainly: “For PROTEC, this program has never just been about engineering. It has been about opening doors, building confidence and helping young people believe in their own potential.”
GE Vernova’s broader STEM investment in South Africa
Next Engineers sits inside a wider pattern of investment. Since 2020, GE Vernova‘s External Bursary Program has provided comprehensive bursaries totaling $8.7 million to more than 900 beneficiaries pursuing Bachelor’s degrees in Science, Commerce, and Arts. Those bursaries cover tuition, accommodation, textbooks, and monthly stipends for the full duration of studies — removing financial obstacles at multiple points, not just at enrollment.
PROTEC’s reach is substantial on its own. Founded in 1982 by engineers from the South African Institute of Civil Engineers, the organization has seen more than 40,000 learners complete its Learner Excellence Program. It currently runs 17 branches and projects across 6 of South Africa’s 9 provinces, with plans to expand to all nine.
The Johannesburg program alone has now reached more than 4,600 learners in total. That number puts the 27 graduates in perspective — they’re the leading edge of a much larger group of young people exposed to engineering thinking and career possibilities through this initiative.
What the graduation adds up to
Three graduating classes. Twenty-seven new graduates. More than 4,600 learners reached in Johannesburg since 2022, and over $200,000 in scholarships awarded. These are the concrete outputs of a program built around a specific, documented problem: South Africa’s shortage of STEM-trained professionals.
The October 1 ceremony at Wits closed out another cohort, but the broader effort continues. GE Vernova’s bursary programs run in parallel, PROTEC’s network spans multiple provinces, and the infrastructure around Next Engineers points to something more durable than a one-time push — an ongoing commitment to building South Africa’s future engineering workforce, one graduating class at a time.
Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.
