March 16, 2017 By Regina Pratt
The Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers (SLIE) would embark on capacity training for young engineering graduates from the University of Sierra Leone (USL).
The training would be taking place at Computech on Pultney Street in Freetown.
The above disclosure was made by the president of the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers, Prof. Redwood-Sawyer, during the launch of the new capacity building program referred to as Africa Catalyst program, which was done in partnership with Global Research Fund UK and Royal Academic for Engineers.
Speaking about the background of the program, the President said the lack of soft skills for most of the young engineering graduates prompted government through the Ministry of Finance to partner with SLIE to execute the program , which according to him, was a pilot program that would capacitate young engineering graduates on soft skills.
He said the program would subsequently be taken over by the government of Sierra Leone after the end of the pilot phase.
Speaking on the aims of the program, Prof. Redwood-Sawyer noted that the program would develop the Young Engineers’ Corp for current engineering graduates, who are in the job market and those looking to improve their employability within the working environment, noting that another primary aim was to enhance the curriculum in the University.
Vice President of the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers (SLIE), who also doubles as the Coordinator of the training program, Ing.Trudi Morgan, said twenty graduates were selected for the training program after they went through the necessary assessment procedures.
“I was looking out for “T-shape Engineers” who could move faster in parallel with the world in terms of global modernisation,” she said, adding that the training program was meant to transform young graduate engineers into T-shape engineers, who should have deep knowledge in software skills in order to match up with the global trend of advancement.
On the format of the program, she stated that the training program encompasses one week basic computer skills and project management skills, two weeks soft skills training, six weeks internship with employers and one week CV writing, interview preparation and project closure.
Minister of Energy, Amb. Henry Macauley, noted that the framework for Young Engineers’ Corp was to increase the work force in the area of engineering, stating that the Bumbuna power station has lots of young engineers, who have been trained to take over the operations of the said station.
He disclosed that as SLIE had been their counterpart in improving the energy sector, he commended them for their remarkable effort in capacitating young engineering graduates in the country.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Zainab Buya –Kamara, reiterated that the training was all about capacitating young students to increase their passion for the profession.
She said the objective was to attract young engineers to pursue engineering courses and consider the profession as a career, adding that the end result would enable government to tap into the potentials of young engineering graduates in the country.