Tag Archives: #engineeringpractice

Recommended Actions for a Young Engineer-2 by Engr. John Cee Onwualu

IMAGINATION

Imagination is another challenge to a young engineer’s career.

An engineer must have the power of imagination. Every engineering product is a creation of the engineer’s imagination from the astral world. Such imagination should transform into an acceptable and useful product for the sustainability of the environment and mankind.

An engineer is a philosopher who can create ideas from the astral environment and by his application of the scientific and natural laws, make life meaningful for man and his environment. So, if one is not capable of doing so, then one is in the wrong profession.


GET INVOLVED IN TECHNICAL COMMITTEE WORKS

Getting involved in technical committee works is part of the challenges that shape up a young engineer.

Senior partners in the engineering profession should create opportunities for younger engineering professionals to serve in various committees, such as codes and standards committees. This will make them understand the origins of some of the codes and the reasons for their application in engineering works. This will also shore up their confidence level in their engineering career to defend their work without fear.


TRAIN TO OBTAIN THE PROFESSIONAL LICENCE

Training to obtain a professional licence is a great challenge and one of the pre-requisites for making an engineering career fulfilled. The registration standard in Nigeria recommends a minimum of four years of practice to become eligible for Corporate Registration with the professional body (Nigeria Society of Engineers) and thereafter, with Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN.

This registration will become easy for a young engineer who, from the beginning, accepts to undergo training and mentorship under a senior partner in his or her chosen professional career. Registration with the engineering body is supposed to create confidence, courage, and authority for the young engineer to undertake serious engineering works.

This means, with the licence issued by COREN, they are authorised to practice within the Federal Republic of Nigeria as engineers and are responsible for the safe use of the structure or infrastructure they design or develop for public use.