Owing to an economic boom witnessed in most African countries, an opportunity for young engineers to venture into engineering management has transpired, stated Australia-based professional services firm SMEC COO Dr Tom Marshall at the launch of the Postgraduate School of Engineering Management (PSEM) at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) last month.
“There has been a steady rise in African growth rates over the last 20 years, which at the end of 2014 was 5.1% year-on-year. If you exclude South Africa and North Africa, the rate is 6.4% year-on-year. Africa has passed the turning point and has become one of the fastest-growing economic regions in the world. For engineering graduates, the opportunities are as many as one could possibly imagine,” he said.
This is as a result of African countries having embarked along the path of regional and global economic integration, regulatory reforms and accelerated infrastructure development.
Moreover, a gap is now created for young engineers to take advantage of the reality of a shortage of graduate engineers in Africa.
Marshall indicated that, with the African population rapidly urbanising, this includes the growth of the mobile middle class, which has meant a growing young workforce that values education.
“We see many new opportunities for graduate engineers who are equipped and willing to fast-track their careers and take on higher-level management responsibilities at a relatively youthful age,” he mentioned.