'Focus more on engineering sector'

'Focus more on engineering sector'
Published: 17 August 2017
THE Zimbabwe Institute of Engineers (ZIE) has called on the Government to put more focus on recapitalisation of the engineering sector to foster growth of the industry.

ZIE is a multi-disciplinary institution covering all aspects of engineering in Zimbabwe. It maintains appropriate standards of engineering and technician competence to promote the advancement of engineering and facilitate the transfer and dissemination of engineering knowledge.

ZIE chief executive officer Dr Sanzan Diarra told Business Chronicle that with engineering development in the fore, other sectors would inevitably follow and this will enable the creation of jobs across different sectors with the country benefiting.

He said inadequate investment in the engineering sector has also led to dilapidation of the engineering education system in the country.

"In Zimbabwe's economic revival programme, it is therefore, important to focus on the engineering sector first. With engineering development at the fore, other sectors will inevitably follow and this will enable the creation of jobs across a myriad of other sectors and the whole nation stands to benefit from the ensuing economic boom.

"Lack of investment has also brought about the dilapidation of our engineering education system. Most of our engineering faculties' laboratories and workshops are lagging behind by 20 to 30 years.

"The quality of staff, both academic and administrative is on the decline.

"Engineering course curricula need serious and deep re-adjustment and adaptation to the real needs of our communities," said Dr Diarra.

He said lack of investment and under-capitalisation of infrastructural projects has left the country with a gradually deteriorating infrastructure base.

Such infrastructure include water delivery systems, power, roads and transportation systems, buildings and mechanised agricultural systems.

Dr Diarra also highlighted that the closure of major companies like Zisco have impacted negatively on the engineering sector.

"The results of these closures have been felt far and wide across the country. In recent years many other engineering firms of medium and small size have also closed shop.

"The overall impact of all this is felt not only in the reduction of availability of the respective products or services (prices of which inevitably increase with the high demand against lowered supply).

"It also affects the training value chain of the engineering professionals: mentoring opportunities and capacity are reduced, places for industrial attachment for universities and polytechnic students are largely reduced," he said.

Dr Diarra said there is a need for focalised and targeted investments in the engineering education sector in order to consolidate and strengthen the existing facilities at universities and polytechnics levels.

Meanwhile, Dr Diarra said investments in road construction has been important in bringing hope for the sector but investing companies have mainly sub-contracted local engineers, hence underutilising the potential in the industry.
- zimpapers
Tags: Engineering,

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