Grooming future science engineers
JOBURG - Efforts to change the myth that engineering belongs to men only.
Science was made simpler at a four-day educational event held at the University of Johannesburg’s Doornfontein Campus from 1 to 4 September.
This educational event was a joint effort between Unesco, Department of Science and Technology and the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).
According to the Department of Science and Technology’s statement, over 250 girls from different schools around Johannesburg donned pink hard hats, getting the feel of what it is like to be an engineer
At the opening of the ceremony, Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor encouraged the children to study mathematics and science.
“We have an unfortunate legacy inherited from the former education system of our country, which discouraged black pupils from taking mathematics and science for matric. I am calling on you all to reverse this legacy by taking these subjects in order to change the situation,” said the minister.
Engineering is one of the most sought-after skills in the world, and it is necessary to feed new talent into the profession continually if South Africa is to meet its people’s basic needs and improve their quality of life.
Engineers solve problems using mathematics and science, and it is important that they continue to devise practical solutions to the challenges faced by our country and continent.
Different workshops and seminars were held, one was themed Think pink-hard-hat, which was aimed at changing the myth that engineering belongs to men only.
The girls were given glitter, glue, marking pens and shiny paper stars to decorate their pink hard hats and express their values and passion – emphasising and celebrating their individuality.
Nonhlanhla Pholofolo, a Grade 11 pupil of Aurora High School in Zola, Soweto, said women should value themselves and work hard to prove that the world belonged to women too.
Women engineers from companies such as Group Five, Bosch and Mercedes Benz shared their experience with engineering students and undergraduates, all saying there was an exciting window of opportunity for female engineers to thrive in South Africa.
Details: www.ecsa.co.za or www.unesco.org or www.dst.gov.za
