Picture: North West University (NWU) alumnus, Chris van Dyk/Supplied
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
17 September 2024- North West University (NWU) alumnus, Chris van Dyk who was recently bestowed with the Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering’s (SAIIE) Best Industrial Engineering Practitioner – Employer’s Choice Award said, he is grateful with his achievements.
Van Dyk said the award demonstrates his contributions to the field of agriculture and the respect he has earned from peers and employers as business analyst at Taaibosch Piggery. Reflecting on his career path, van Dyk said he started thinking about his future, while he was doing his third year.
“In my third year at the NWU, I started thinking about which industry I wanted to enter as an industrial engineer. I found that agriculture, with its increasing reliance on technology and data management, was intriguing.
“Interestingly, industrial engineering is still a relatively new field within the agricultural industry. After graduating with a degree in industrial engineering in 2021, I saw an opportunity to enter this sector,” he said.
Van Dyk further said the opportunity came through job openings shared by the School of Industrial Engineering. He added that he applied for the position at Taaibosch, and the rest is history.
“This marked the beginning of my career in agriculture as an industrial engineer. My work at Taaibosch presented me with unique challenges. Working as an engineer at a piggery, made me realise that I needed to prioritise the success of others, which led to opportunities and successful projects.
“So, receiving the SAIIE award made me reflect on the impact of my work. This recognition made me understand the significance and relevance of my contributions,” said van Dyk.
He said it also reinforced the importance of collaboration, to advance people, farms and the industry. Van Dyk said he is now focusing on a long-term project to introduce a learning enterprise structure to farming, inspired by the Toyota Way.
“The Toyota Way is a set of principles defining the organisational culture of Toyota. A learning enterprise with a core philosophy of scientific thinking could benefit farms as businesses and improve the lives of those involved.
“I am currently pursuing a master’s degree and my research focuses on the relationship between farm administration and quality management. I continue to work as a business analyst for Taaibosch Piggery,” he said.
The Guardian 