The South African Institute for Non-Destructive Testing (SAINT) is making significant progress in cementing its position as the cornerstone body for Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) professionals and practitioners in Southern Africa. This was the core message from SAINT President Keith Cain at the launch of the Institute’s 2016/2017 Yearbook at the CSIR in Pretoria on 13 May 2016.
SAINT, originally founded in 1968, hosted the hugely successful 18th NDT World Conference in Durban in 2012, where it gained invaluable local and international recognition in the global NDT industry, and so began its renewed momentum after decades of inertia.
Cain cites Newton’s Second Law of Motion; ‘the acceleration of an object is dependent upon two variables – the net force acting upon the object and the mass of the object.’ SAINT has now become a body of considerable force, acting on a massive industry, and it is accelerating…
SAINT Establishes Qualification Designations
Cain highlighted the Institute’s subsequent achievements:
- SAINT established a professional body for the NDT industry earlier this year, aligned with South Africa’s National Qualification Framework (NQF) Act and the South African Authority of Qualifications (SAQA).
- This successful quality-development partnership with SAQA and the merSETA has led to the establishment of professional designations for the NDT industry. These designations fall within the Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO) for Level I and Level II NDT technicians; and are now referred to as ’NDT operators’ and ‘NDT Technicians’ respectively.
- SAINT is actively providing the industry with current, relevant information and promoting co-operation between its members and various role-players and stakeholders via its newly created industry standing committees.
- SAINT has expanded and improved its collaboration with technical schools on NDT training to ISO 9712 examination and certification standards, and aims to harmonise a national system under the professional designation scheme outlined in the Yearbook.
- SAINT enables international collaboration in the global NDT industry through the African Federation of NDT and the International Committee for NDT. In June this year a South African contingent of 10 SAINT members will represent the South African NDT industry at the 19th World Conference in Munich, Germany.
Creating Awareness, Raising Status
“The SAINT 2016/2017 Yearbook represents the great strides being made by SAINT, now and in the future,” said Cain at the launch. “It is the most informative, detailed and concise NDT guide ever produced by SAINT. It is the ‘go to’ manual for Level I and II technicians and operators on the NDT methods and techniques which SAINT has perfected over the past 48 years.
“For more advanced Level III NDT technologists, the SAINT Yearbook provides all current information relating to the International Committee of NDT (ICNDT), along with guidelines for the International Standardisation of NDT Qualification and certification.”
The 2016 SAINT Yearbook, published by CVR Publications, is expected to play a large role in raising public and industry awareness of the South African NDT industry, and its importance to the development and growth of many other industry sectors in the country, and abroad.
“SAINT aims to promote the status NDT testing for its members and stakeholders in all industries, and this Yearbook serves as an informative guide to the world of NDT,” adds Cain. SAINT’s objectives were clear at its inception in 1968, to become the go-to entity of NDT in South Africa, the backbone to industry, the cornerstone of Non-Destructive Testing.”
SAINT’S Digital Footprint
Cain is extremely confident about SAINT’s digital footprint: “In addition to our newly revamped website, we are now active on the leading social media platforms, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. We’ve seen an impressive 200% increase in engagement with SAINT from new content constantly being added to our online presence. This adds even more benefits for our members and stakeholders as the website advertising as a significant lever in SAINT’s digital footprint and enables steady growth for SAINT and the industry.”
SAINT aims to actively produce quality NDT personnel for both the national and global NDT market.
“We want the men and women from the South African designation system to become the preferred suppliers of NDT services worldwide,” concludes Cain. “This might be an ambitious goal, but every journey starts with the first step. Every building starts with a foundation cornerstone, and SAINT is the Cornerstone of South African Non-Destructive Testing.”
