Black engineer shortage a concern for SA
Transnet's plan to invest some R330bn in infrastructure over the next seven years should create an incentive for more black people to pursue engineering as a career‚ speakers at the fourth National Society of Black Engineers Conference said Thursday.
SA's engineers are highly regarded worldwide for their expertise and educational background but engineering companies have struggled to employ large numbers of non-white engineers‚ as universities have not produced them at rates quick enough to meet project demands.
Engineering is considered a skilled profession‚ which takes around five years to obtain qualifications for.
Even though the likes of the University of Witwatersrand's engineering school is one of the few A-rated schools at that university‚ companies struggle to find black candidates for junior positions‚ which can boost their Black Economic Empowerment scorecards.