Civil engineering graduates join departmental development programme

The Department of Transport and Public Works (DTPW) is delighted to welcome ten civil engineering graduates into its 2017 Professional Development Programme (PDP).

As recipients of the DTPW Masakh’iSizwe Bursary Programme, they are expected to gain practical experience as candidate engineers, technologists and technicians at private companies. This is a key part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to address the shortage of transport, built environment and engineering professionals in the Western Cape.

Although they have their tertiary qualifications, graduates can only be registered as professionals once they meet the requirements of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).

The PDP provides four years of training, mentoring, support, on-the-job-exposure and professional supervision designed to enable graduates to apply for ECSA registration. Their development and progress will be closely monitored and, where necessary, the package of support will be adjusted to meet specific needs.

Since its inception in 2010, DTPW has successfully trained and mentored 11 graduates (ten professional engineers and one professional engineering technician). Of these, eight have been employed permanently in the Road Network Management branch.

The PDP participants can expect to be deployed on DTPW road infrastructure projects, given exposure to road traffic design systems, and receive on-site supervision. In the process they will make a valuable contribution to maintaining and improving the road network, a key enabler of social and economic development in the province.