SAIMechE Press Release: Public sector must develop own professional engineering resources
Thursday, 26 September 2013
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The New Growth Path (NGP) framework was released in 2010 under the
leader of Minister Ebrahim Patel. The policy’s main objective is to create five
million new jobs by 2020. Central to the NGP is a massive investment in
infrastructure as a critical driver of job creation across the economy.
According to the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering
(SAIMechE), the main challenge to be faced in achieving the objectives of the
NGP is ensuring sufficient numbers of skilled engineering professionals in the
public sector to tackle this massive rollout of infrastructure. Vaughan
Rimbault, CEO of SAIMechE, discusses some of the Institution’s strategic
objectives which address this challenge.
The National Infrastructure Plan, adopted in 2012, will see the
South African Government investing R827 billion over a three year period from
2013/14, in building new and upgrading existing infrastructure. According to
Rimbault, the single key issue that needs to be addressed, is ensuring that the
public sector is sufficiently skilled in their professional engineering
resources, in order to be able to implement the NIP and, in the longer term,
the National Development Plan (NDP). "If one just considers the number of
projects, number of tenders, evaluations of specifications and site inspections
that need dealt with as part of the NDP, then it is clear that the public
sector will require substantially more engineering professionals than it has at
present,” says Rimbault.
Compounding the problem is the lack of sufficient engineering
professionals in the current public sector to maintain existing infrastructure.
Advertisements for senior engineering professionals in the public sector
are a regular feature in the media, suggesting that there is a shortage of
suitable candidates with the necessary education, experience and demographic
qualities.
SAIMechE proposes a solution which aims to transform the public
sector into a nett producer of engineering professionals. Rimbault says there
are tremendous opportunities for turning the public sector into an effective
environment for developing engineering professionals. "What SAIMechE proposes
is that the public sector focuses on the development of their own professional
engineering resources as a sustainable, long-term solution to their own needs.”
"Through the formation of partnerships with professional bodies
such as SAIMechE, the public sector would be in position to implement programs
within their existing structures, and develop the professional skills required
for their current and long-term needs . Ultimately we would be working towards
the public sector producing surplus engineering professionals in 5 to 10 years
time,” says Rimbault.
Chris Reay, Chairman of SAIMechE’s Communications Committee says:
"It’s time to stop talking about the numbers, and focus our attention on
creating these development opportunities as quickly as possible. In the
exercise of the NDP, the public sector effectively becomes what we in the
engineering and project space refer to as the ‘owners team’ – which comprises
the top of the project pyramid. They effectively own the project, and are
responsible for conceiving, approving and conceptualising the project. An
essential component is that this function requires a team of competent, skilled
and experienced resources. The owner’s team then relies on the consultants,
engineers, contractors, the operations and maintenance functions for the
lifetime of the asset. If your owner’s team is deficient, or dysfunctional in
any way, the rest of the project simply won’t work”.
Reay reiterates that the numbers required in specialist resources
are in excess of what exists in the market, as it is a very specific skill that
is needed. "The required resources are in very limited supply. The problem is
further compounded by the challenges created by BBBEE policies, which have
excluded certain skilled and experienced professionals from public service or
encouraged them into early retirement, creating a huge professional engineering
skills gap in public service. The numbers needed are high, and strict
application of BBBEE rules may jeopardise effective skills development.
We need to use all available resources to ensure the proper development
and empowerment of all candidates”, Reay adds.
Strategic objectives
Commenting on the overall long term strategic objectives of
SAIMechE and how these tie in with the goals of the NDP, Rimbault says that
SAIMechE’s Professional Development Program (PDP) is being specifically
designed to develop professional competencies in graduates in the work
environment. "This is our primary strategic objective - to address the current
and future need for engineering professionals with our economy,” says Rimbault,
"and the programme is ideally suited for implementation in the public sector."
About SAIMechE
The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE)
is the senior body representing the discipline of mechanical engineering in South Africa.
It covers all fields of application as diverse as automobile, energy
generation, process engineering, heavy manufacture, design, management,
research, mining and education.SAIMechE’s constitutional objectives are to serve the interests
and needs of its members; to advance the science, art and practice of
mechanical engineering; and to promote and maintain high standards in the
profession of mechanical engineering.
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