The STEM Associate Programme gave me invaluable exposure to a professional working environment, allowing me to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world engineering solutions. Through hands-on experience with embedded systems, electronic circuit design, and hardware integration, I gained both the technical expertise and teamwork skills to apply my knowledge outside the college—culminating in taking second place at a competitive hackathon.

Balancing my academic workload with my associate role sharpened my time management, discipline, and professional accountability. More than anything, the continuous guidance from my supervisors taught me that effective communication, adaptability, and a willingness to learn are just as vital as technical skill. This program has truly built my confidence and set a strong foundation for my career in technology.

Working as a student associate has given me significant insight into the field of Communications.

I have worked on several projects and activities with the department and gained experience in establishing communication strategies, media outreach, and editing and revising communication materials and texts.

This position has enhanced my time management, social skills, and written and vocal communication skills, as meeting deadlines.

I joined the New Era College STEM department as a STEM associate because I believed this would help me in securing a future career in STEM. I have come to appreciate some concepts better after using the STEM kits as they gave a practical application to some of the theories we learned in class. 

The highlight of my experience as a STEM associate has been tinkering with the different kits and seeing what new innovation I could come up with. 

I would encourage any New Era College to take advantage of this part-time position, not only for the small allowance they will get but also to see the possibilities that exist with STEM. 

The future depends on STEM as the 4th industrial revolution will mean our society relies more on technology in their day to day lives. 

I chose to apply to become a STEM associate as I believed that the opportunity would give me a platform to be able to try and create the many innovative ideas that I have been thinking of involving electronics. With access to some high level equipment such as a 3D printer, I have been able to work on ideas for my final year project. 

The knowledge that I gained as a STEM associate will even help me beyond the 

College walls as I not only learned about STEM concepts, I gained real life experience from working in a technical lab and with other STEM engineers. 

This taught me other soft skills such as collaboration, critical thinking for problem solving and even presentation skills through having to teach other students about the STEM kits. 

My Industry-Based Learning (IBL) journey at the Orapa 90MW Power Plant under Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) was an incredible blend of excitement and challenge. From June to December 2025, I stepped out of the classroom and into the heart of Botswana’s energy sector.

I adapted quickly by staying disciplined and remaining eager to learn from the seasoned professionals around me. This placement gave me hands-on exposure to critical electrical systems, troubleshooting, fuel analysis, and both preventative and scheduled maintenance procedures. Most importantly, it bridged the gap between theory and real-world application, significantly boosting my confidence and teamwork skills.

New Era College prepared me for this high-pressure environment by providing a perfect balance of theoretical knowledge and practical training. The college’s emphasis on technical competence and problem-solving made the transition to the power plant seamless.

To any prospective students considering NEC: Learn with purpose. Every lesson and practical session is a building block for your career. If you remain committed to your goals, the #NECExperience will take you exactly where you want to be.