A qualification from the Graduate School of Technology Management at the University of Pretoria expands mining engineer’s horizons

Mining engineer Matete Shoroma is one of the Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM)’s top achievers in its Master in Technology and Innovation Management (MTIM) programme. He completed this two-year programme in the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology with a distinction at the end of 2024 and believes that it will enable him to influence technology adoption in the mining industry.

He explains that he ended up studying mining engineering by default, as it was actually his third-choice option. His initial interest had been in civil engineering. Due to financial constraints and the availability of a bursary in mining engineering, he accepted the opportunity. He soon discovered that this was a fascinating field with good career opportunities. After graduating from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2013 with a BSc (Hons) degree in Mining Engineering, he secured employment at Anglo Platinum, where he worked until 2017 when he was offered a position at De Beers as a junior mining engineer. Over the years, he progressed through the ranks, until he achieved the position of senior mining engineer in 2024.

In his spare time, Matete developed an interest in computer graphics. “I taught myself various programs, which I grasped quite quickly.” He later went on to master programming and data analysis. In 2020, he decided to formalise these skills and enrolled for a BSc in Computer Science at the University of South Africa (Unisa). This interest in technology coincided with the introduction of automation in the mining industry, and he started investigating the integration of technological systems in the mines. Recognising this as a way to enhance his career, he decided to enrol in the GSTM’s MTIM programme.

Explaining the selection of his research topic, he says that he felt that the mining industry, as a whole, was not innovating enough. His experience was that technology adoption was being driven by service providers and not by the mines themselves. “Previous generations of technology enabled increased productivity, as well as an increase in the volumes being mined. However, I realised that the successful integration of emerging technologies requires more than just introducing bigger trucks and improving technical capabilities, it depends on the readiness of both the mining company and the mine’s employees to adopt and embrace change.” His observation was that the organisational structure and culture are important determinants in the mine’s adoption of technology.

He observes that the innovation management aspect of the programme opened his mind to the fact that his newly gained knowledge could not only be used to enhance his employer’s productivity. It could also provide an entrepreneurship opportunity in the technology space should he wish to transition to starting his own business. “I was able to identify a couple of business opportunities that I would like to pursue further.”

He admits that he found the first year of the programme to be challenging, balancing a full-time job and a full academic programme, with a lot of work to be covered. However, the support of his supervisor prevented him from giving up.

“In the end, I found the programme to be really enjoyable, particularly as it opened my mind to various ways of implementing and integrating technology in the mining industry. I liked the unique way in which the programme was structured, and found the two block weeks to be very engaging. I really learnt a lot.” He says that he would certainly recommend the programme to anyone wishing to expand their knowledge about technology and innovation management.