DEVELOPING A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING INDUSTRY

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DEVELOPING A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING INDUSTRY
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CONTENTS

• Background
• Influencing Factors
• Solutions
• Conclusions

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BACKGROUND

• The development of competent and sustainable
  professional engineering industry is essential
  for the development of any country.
• Gama 2004
• Without engineers there would be no water, no
  sanitation, no electrical energy, no roads, no
  railways, no airports no harbours and no
  communications. There wouldnt be any healthcare
  facilities, no schools, no industry or commerce,
  there would simply be nothing.

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BACKGROUND

• In the modern world everything that engineers
  provide is not only essential for daily living
  but also to assist the competitiveness of nations
  and to ensure that these survive in the face of
  increasing competition.

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BACKGROUND

• China
• Engineering is the most respected profession
• China produces roughly 300 000 engineers per
  year.
• They have recognized that intellectual capital
  will be an essential part of the countrys
  development in the next 20 years.

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BACKGROUND

• India
• Engineering is a respected profession
• ICT expertise is the dominant country vision.
• India produces roughly 130 000 engineers per
  year.
• Some SA Business Schools visit India annually to
  experience real IT infrastructure.

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BACKGROUND

• Why not let China do all our engineering?
• Because
• Do we want to swop one colonial power for
  another?
• Our Countries may start to look like China!

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Beijing Airport Smog
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BACKGROUND

• Knowledge Industry
• Current Cost of Licenses and Royalties in SA
  R8bn pa
• Export Earnings of Gold and Uranium in SA
  R29bn pa
• It is also well known that the presence of
  skilled people create many jobs for others.
• Therefore it is in the countrys best interest to
  create a corps of skilled professionals who can
  meet the challenges of infrastructure needs and
  ensure a reasonable degree of self-sufficiency in
  this regard

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BACKGROUND

• Need to Assess where we want to go and how to get
  there!

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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
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1. Societal Values

• Does society value their engineers?
• China Yes
• Africa sometimes prefer Docters.
• Engineers viewed as commodities that sometimes
  cause more problems than solutions
• Why?
• Inappropriate engineering
• No ability to sell the concept
• NIMBYs
• Engineers are our own worst critics
• Lack of Sustainability
• Try to transplant others values into Africa
• Complicate things
• Questionable Ethics

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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
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2. National Vision

• How do we want to develop Botswana Vision 2016?
• In South Africa the Accelerated and Shared Growth
  Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) vision is
• a vigorous and inclusive economy where products
  and services are diverse, more value is added to
  our products and services, costs of production
  and distribution are reduced, labour is readily
  absorbed into sustainable employment, and new
  businesses proliferate and expand.
• Priority areas for development include
• Business process outsourcing (BPO).
• Tourism.
• Agriculture and Agro-processing including
  Biofuels.
• Chemicals.
• Metals beneficiation, including the capital goods
  sector.
• Creative industries (crafts, film TV, content
  and music).
• Clothing and textiles.
• Durable consumer goods.
• Wood, pulp and paper.
• This establishes the Primary Demand

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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Government Role
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
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3. Government Role

• Government has a Critical Role
• Most infrastructure is a Government
  Responsibility
• Which part of Government should ensure that an
  adequate and balanced supply chain of
  professional engineers exist?
• How deep (expertise) and how wide (National,
  Provincial, Local) should the supply be to match
  demand?
• Expand the role of the Professional Registration
  body?

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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Government Role
Economic Situation
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
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4. Economic Situation

• Healthy Economics will result in a Good
  Professional Engineering Industry.
• Excessive reliance on foreign aid is detrimental
  to the local engineering industry. (GAMA 2006)
• A Healthy Professional Engineering Industry will
  result in a Good Economic situation.
• Cost-Effective, Appropriate Infrastructure
• Local control of corruption

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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Government Role
Economic Situation
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
Demand and Supply
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5. Demand and Supply

• Demand can change rapidly
• Rate of Exchange
• Depression
• Sudden Growth Spurts (SWC 2010)
• Supply cannot
• Good professional engineering is not a commodity
  that can be turned on and off like a tap! It
  takes 10 to 20 years of experience to create a
  good professional engineer!
• Mitigate against Imbalances
• Clients should proceed with planning during short
  duration drops in demand
• This will only happen if real value of good
  engineering is perceived!

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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Government Role
Economic Situation
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
Demand and Supply
Supply Chain Management
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6. Supply Chain Management

• Who is monitoring the overall demand for and
  supply of Professional Engineering Services?
• Should the supply be left to market forces
  entirely?
• SAICE (Allyson Lawless) study on numbers and
  needs shows this may be short sighted!

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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Government Role
Economic Situation
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
Demand and Supply
Supply Chain Management
Optimal Procurement Systems
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7. Optimal Procurement Systems

• Each system has pros and cons
• Good procurement systems are critical
• The Best System involves QBS - but
• such systems involve complex processes and
• have to be somewhat subjective and hence
• need to be administered by informed clients
• Well managed Professional Engineering Services
  represent a small part of the project cost and
  can always save money in the long term
• There are many examples of expensive projects
  that saved money on Professional Engineering
  Services!!

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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Government Role
Economic Situation
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
Demand and Supply
Sustainability Focus
Supply Chain Management
Optimal Procurement Systems
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8. Sustainability Focus

• Consulting Engineers need reasonable work
  horizons and good Cash Flow To
• Award Bursaries
• Provide Training
• Ensure Succession Planning
• Improve Technology
• Ensure Continuous Improvement
• Stay Familiar with Client Requirements
• Provide Quality and Appropriate Engineering.

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8. Sustainability Focus

• Client Bodies need stable work environments to
• Manage their supply chain of Consulting Engineers
• Improve Systems and Procedures
• Ensure Succession Planning
• Ensure their Requirements keep pace with
  Technological developments
• Ensure Quality and Continuous Improvement
• Plan and Manage Appropriate Infrastructure
  Development Operations and Maintenance

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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Government Role
Economic Situation
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
Professional Services in Partnership
Demand and Supply
Sustainability Focus
Supply Chain Management
Optimal Procurement Systems
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9. Professional Services Partnerships
Design Partnership
Client Requirements Strategies Policies Guideline
s Codes of Procedure Standards Specifications Stan
dard Drawings Conditions of Contract
Consultant Requirements Experienced Staff Staff
Development Good Technology and design
systems Sustainable workload
Feedback Loop for client development and
Technology Development
Feedback Loop Providing PSP Staff Development and
Technology Development
Resulting Infrastructure Cost Effective and
Reliable
Project Development Processes Feasibility,
Preliminary Design Detailed Design, Tendering and
Award Construction, Maintenance and Operations
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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Government Role
Recognition of Quality
Economic Situation
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
Professional Services in Partnership
Demand and Supply
Sustainability Focus
Supply Chain Management
Optimal Procurement Systems
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10. Recognition of Quality

• Need to Understand all factors that contribute to
  high quality Professional Engineering.
• Client Side
• Good Engineering Management
• Client and Consultant
• Good Project Management
• Consultant
• Good Design and Supervision
• Provide Constructive Criticism
• Encourage and Reward quality

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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Improved Engineering
Government Role
Recognition of Quality
Economic Situation
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
Professional Services in Partnership
Demand and Supply
Sustainability Focus
Supply Chain Management
Optimal Procurement Systems
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Factors Influencing the Development of a
Professional Engineering Industry
Societal Values
Country Vision
Improved Engineering
Government Role
Recognition of Quality
Economic Situation
Development of Professional Engineering Industry
Professional Services in Partnership
Demand and Supply
Sustainability Focus
Supply Chain Management
Optimal Procurement Systems
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SOLUTIONS

• Lobby for Vision.
• Consider Resources and Constraints
• Consider how to become a winning nation
• Consider how to supply the professional engineers
  required to achieve this vision.
• Expanded Role of Engineering Councils
• Not just guideline fee scales
• Also to ensure the development of the
  Professional Engineering industry

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SOLUTIONS

• Identify and Improve Systems
• Liaison System
• Client Development System
• Consulting Engineer Development System
• Quality
• Recognize and reward quality in all spheres of
  engineering

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Capacity Building Framework in a Professional
Economy acknowledgements to G Casartelli
Improved Culture of Professionalism and Knowledge
Capital
Professional Associations and Councils
Coherent Capacity Building Policy
Professional Services
Legislation reflecting International best
practice but calibrated on national policy goals
Government
Consultants
Dialogue on CB between Government and
Professional Associations
Enhanced Quality and Knowledge produces better
work plans bids
Increased capacity increases demand for Quality
Services
Executing Agencies use procurement and codes of
practice to achieve quality designs
Increased Capacity improves ability to deliver
Quality Aspects Innovation, Efficiency,
Impartiality, Sustainability, Transparency,
Independence
Lessons Learned enhance Experience,
Qualifications and Knowledge
Increased GDP
Improved Investments
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CONCLUSIONS

• This paper will not solve any problems, as people
  solve problems and not conferences or papers.
  Hence it is suggested that we take the messages
  from the paper and start to implement them in our
  associations and within our own organizations and
  individuals. At this stage of the development
  of our countries and the continent, we can not
  afford to miss this opportunity.