Connecting technical opportunity with personal readiness
GE Next Engineers is a global engineering-education initiative. In South Africa, PROTEC runs the programme, and the engineering learning is facilitated through the University of the Witwatersrand. Kutitiva served as the psychosocial and College and Career Readiness (CCR) delivery partner under PROTEC for five years.
While the engineering curriculum builds technical interest and skills, Kutitiva’s role was to develop the person behind the engineer. Self-Portrait™ assessments, development workshops and individual coaching gave Grade 10–12 learners a practical understanding of how they learn, work and relate to others — and the life-readiness tools to act on it.
Repeated one-to-one check-ins and portfolios of evidence meant the support was continuous, not a single workshop.
Project at a glance
- Period
- 2022 – 2026 (five-year involvement)
- Participants
- 170 learners in Grades 10–12 over 5 years
- Kutitiva’s role
- Psychosocial & College and Career Readiness delivery partner
- Partners
- GE Next Engineers · PROTEC (programme lead) · University of the Witwatersrand (engineering learning)
What the CCR curriculum covered
Knowing yourself
Self-Portrait™ assessments, personal identity, emotional resilience and setting healthy boundaries.
Working with others
Teamwork, collaboration, communication and professional conduct.
Ready for what’s next
Time management, future planning, employability and career preparation for tertiary study and work.
How it was delivered
- Personal self-awareness assessments
- Development workshops
- Individual coaching and repeated one-to-one check-ins
- Portfolios of evidence
- Practical life-readiness tools
Outcome
Aspiring young engineers developed the personal foundations needed to navigate tertiary education and the workplace — connecting the technical opportunity of the programme with the self-knowledge and skills to make the most of it.
Kutitiva delivered the psychosocial and CCR component; the engineering curriculum was delivered by programme partners.
A separate story: HER STEAM Girls
In October 2026, Kutitiva partnered with GE Vernova South Africa on a different initiative — a three-day STEAM and empowerment experience for younger girls in Grades 8 and 9.
Read the HER STEAM story