Industry organisation the Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Mechatronics and Computer Engineering (SAIMC) will deliver training sessions and technical workshops during the Africa Automation Technology Fair (AATF) 2025, in Gauteng, from May 6 to 8.

These sessions will provide engineers, technologists and technicians with the tools and knowledge to professionally register, stay compliant and lead industrial innovation, it says.

Specifically, SAIMC CEO Johan Maartens will provide training on registration for professionals in automation, instrumentation and related fields with regulatory authority the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).

He will also guide attendees through the process of completing their ECSA registration forms.

“Professional registration sets you apart, as your experience has been assessed and tested by at least nine peers and not found lacking,” he says.

This session is an ideal opportunity for practitioners to move from ‘qualified’ to ‘recognised’, thereby ensuring their career growth and credibility in regulated industries, he notes.

Additionally, SAIMC COO Gerhard Greeff will provide an introductory session on understanding computer engineering, which will demystify the role of computer engineering in industrial environments.

Greeff, who has over 35 years of experience in manufacturing operations management, will help participants identify where their current work may already qualify as engineering and how to ensure they’re operating within legal and professional boundaries.

“The SAIMC is committed to inform, advise and guide computer engineers through the ECSA registration process so that they can continue working legally without fear of penalties,” he says.

This session is especially valuable for software developers, IT technicians and control systems professionals working in operational environments.

Further, State-owned power utility Eskom control and instrumentation corporate specialist Khaya Sobuwa will host a special workshop on control and instrumentation retrofit projects in power stations.

With South Africa’s power infrastructure under pressure, this workshop aims to offer fresh insights into modernising legacy systems through smarter, standards-driven engineering practices.

It will also explore how the SAIMC and Eskom can work together to improve plant performance, ensure regulatory compliance, and transfer critical institutional knowledge across teams, the SAIMC says.

The AATF will take place at the Gallagher Convention Centre and serves as a platform for automation, digital transformation and industrial innovation.

The SAIMC’s involvement this year reinforces a central message, namely that Africa’s industrial future depends not just on innovation, but on recognised, accountable professionals who drive that innovation forward, the organisation says.