ERB deliberates on economic recovery
The Engineers Registration Board ( ERB) is worried that it continues to find unregistered engineers under the employ of both the government and the private sector.
Boasting 8 643 registered engineering professionals so far, the Board is extremely concerned that although they continue to be assigned engineering work, such individuals’ engineering competence has not been confirmed by ERB as a regulator. ERB’s Chief Executive Officer Dennis Olaotse added that the effect of this is a real risk to the health and welfare of the public that could arise from poor management and delivery of projects. That also brings about a high potential for corrupt practices. Olaotse revealed that the ERB has had its share of challenges during the Covid- 19 pandemic, among them, unemployment of graduate engineers and some experienced engineers, professional malpractice, and noncompliance to the regulation, among many others. Like other industries, the Engineering sector has been negatively affected by Covid- 19, which reversed some of the gains of the industry. At the height of the pandemic, many projects were halted, new procurement cancelled, leading to extreme job losses. To date, some of the important planned national infrastructure projects are still halted, and it will be long before the citizenry realises the gains from such projects. “Engineering professionals also succumbed to the pandemic. Recovery can be expected to be in sync with the country’s economic recovery profile,” Olaotse said. On the registration of some engineering graduates from some local higher learning institutions with the Board, Olaotse explained that assessment of any application made to ERB involves an assessment of whether the qualification held by the applicant meets the minimum standards of engineering education set by the International Engineering Alliance Accords. He added that if the qualification does not meet these criteria, due advice is given to the applicant and the institution offering the qualification. “To date, several institutions in Botswana have undergone this process and are currently implementing recommended recourse measures recommended by ERB,” he explained. The ERB is expected to end the dry spell of their annual Engineering Forum this year, under the theme Creative Engineering Value Chain: Advancing towards industry 4.0. The Forum that will be held from March 1 to 3 will also coincide with the UNESCO World Engineering Day on the 4th.
The 2022 Engineering Forum, which will be held as part of the activities of the inaugural Engineering Week, will serve as a platform for the engineering profession and stakeholders to share experiences, lessons, and good practices in an effort to rebuild both the sector and the economy in the midst of a global pandemic.
Olaotse said the topics to be covered include Solar PV Systems, Green Building for Botswana 4th industrial revolution, the 4th IR in Agriculture, STEM, STEM in agriculture, governance, and quality assurance. The panel discussions will include insurance companies, regulatory authorities in the built environment, engineering education providers including BUAN, UB, BIUST, and New Era, engineering firms such as Debswana, CPP, Flotek, utility companies, Department of Roads, Department of Facilities Management, BHC, among others.
The UNESCO World Engineering Day, which will be celebrated under the theme, Building Back wiser: Engineering the future is an opportunity to celebrate engineering and the contribution of the world’s engineers for a better, sustainable world.
Olaotse explained that World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development ( WED) is an official International day proclaimed in 2019 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation ( UNESCO) on the strength of a proposal from the World Federation of Engineering Organisations ( WFEO). Since its establishment, ERB has developed standards for regulating the profession, has been engaged in the review of the Act, detection, and investigation of malpractice, influence of policies to reserve work for locals, including graduates, and stakeholder awareness and recognition of engineering professionalism.