Aurecon South Africa hosts STEM Career Day in Tembisa

On Saturday, 20 July, Aurecon South Africa, local presence of global engineering, design and advisory company Aurecon, hosted a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) Career Day for Grade 10 students in Tembisa. Approximately 60 students, as well as Ward councillors from Tembisa and representatives from the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) Human Settlements Department participated in the event.

“Aurecon has been involved in a number of engineering projects in Tembisa over the past six years and we have forged close ties with the community. We are committed to empowering students to choose to become young professional engineers, not only because it contributes to business success, but also because giving back is at the core of what we do and everyone, from our project leaders to members of our People team,came on board to add value to the successful Career Day,” says Senzekile Mdluli, Aurecon South Africa’s BBBEE & CSI Manager.

Aurecon’s emerging professionals and senior technical experts were at the STEM Career Day to share their experiences, the work they do, and how they use digital engineering tools to solve their clients’ complex problems. The company’s Talent and Development team outlined the process that learners would need to follow to register for a degree or diploma in a STEM field at tertiary institutions and the entrance requirements of local institutions.

Denzel Maduray, Principal and Lead Project Manager in the Aurecon Programme Advisory Unit, comments: “Our goal for the day was to pique learners’ interest in STEM careers and give them the career guidance counselling they need to take the next steps in furthering their education. As a developing economy, we need the bright minds of the future to help us create sustainable infrastructure solutions for our country. Across the globe, engineering is seen as a scarce skill. We wanted to show the learners that a career in STEM may not only change their lives, but change the way people live, work and play in Tembisa.”

Some of the engineering projects in Tembisa where Aurecon has played a key role include the Tembisa Underpass, which constructed an attractive, safe and user-friendly pedestrian and cycle crossing with associated safety infrastructure beneath the rail line; and Ibazelo Park that has become a popular recreational asset; as well as civic node planning and street improvements, which saw Aurecon involved in paving sidewalks, planting trees, and adding street furniture to contribute to safe paths that promote non-motorised transport in Tembisa.

“In the State of the Nation address of 2018, President Ramaphosa spoke about revitalizing township economies to stimulate growth and create jobs. The City of Ekurhuleni started this journey in 2013 and Aurecon is proud to be a part of the vast improvements they are making to Tembisa. We are honoured to work with such a visionary client and we hope that we can help enhance the quality of life for the people of the people in this area,” concludes Maduray.