Performance of Mature and Matriculation Entry Students Studying Towards the National Diploma in Building at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Developments in the teaching of the National Diploma in Building students should be geared towards meeting the needs of the construction industry in South Africa. These needs are usually in the form of skills and knowledge required to resolve thorny issues encountered in practice. The lack of capacity in the construction industry needs to be addressed from the basis of ensuring that the education system caters for both mature entry and matriculation entry students. The paper looks at a comparison in performance between mature entry and matriculation (just finish High School) entry students focusing on the National Diploma in Building students at the University of Johannesburg. The paper will make a comparison between those students who work first before enrolling for their first year National Diploma in Building and those who are directly from high school. Cooperative education involves training and systematically developing students through the acquisition of the requisite skills, attitudes, values and knowledge required to adequately perform in their chosen careers. The paper describes the problems and experiences that have been encountered by both mature and matriculation entry students in their three years of study which affects their performance. The paper will then look at the value of prior experience in enabling students to finish their National Diploma in Building within a three year period. The paper closes with some recommendations for the future.