We are back bigger and better – Engineer Clare Mosarwa

Engineer Clare Mosarwa : Botswana Engineers Registration Board Standards Manager and Event Project Manager

Engineer Clare Mosarwa is a woman of sterling qualities. This was evident from the personal and professional leadership quality that she demonstrated at the Engineering forum 2022. Her Leadership is a trait that reflects in her appreciation of the team effort by her subordinates and evident as well in the culmination of the positive feedback from the event. She is the Project manager and the Standards Manager of the Engineers Registration Board. The many years she has spent at the board are evident from the passion and hard work that has gone into the various events she has organized highlighting engineers’ pleas over the years. At this year’s forum she was sharing with the attendees where the project is coming from and where it is going. She also highlighted the resolutions from the gathering. Later she acknowledged the volunteers at the event who made it possible through sleepless days. The ERB team also dedicated time and she is grateful for the teams that excelled in their duties

She firstly demystified the name change by stating that many will remember that in 2019 the event was called Engineers Forum and now it is called the Engineering Forum.The idea now is to accommodate the other stakeholders at different levels who are not termed ‘engineers’ such as technicians,artisans architects and students .

“As advertised on digital media and DSTV WE are back bigger and better. We wanted our engineering community to be able to experience and see a difference from 2019. Due to limited funds we had to come up with a week to celebrate the engineers instead of organizing various activities for the single events. The theme of the event “Creative Engineering Value Chain – Advancing Towards Industry 4.0” takes me back to when Covid 19 started. I had admiration for front line workers who worked hard and relentlessly to helps us get out of the crisis. I would wish if engineers could show the same energy to help us get out of the plethora of challenges we face in the industry.” she said.

She expressed how at some point she was taken aback by the fact that other countries are looking at moving towards 5.0 from 4.0 but she hopes we can catch up soon.

Why this week and Engineering day theme.

Engineer Mosarwa explained that this engineering week was a Celebration of engineer’s contribution to uplift society and economy. The UNESCO world engineering dayfell on the 4th of March.It is an official international day proclaimed in 2019 by  UNESCO.The engineering day theme “Build Back Wiser: Engineering the Future”. The day is meant to celebrate engineering and world’s engineers for a better and sustainable world especially after been shut down by pandemic like everyone else. Engineers are being urged to come up with solutions to the disease affecting everyone globally and also provide solutions for the world to move on.

 World engineering day for sustainable development theme challenges engineers to minimize pressure on resources amidst a growing global population. Therefore, there is need for a user centric approach to innovation and development so mas to minimize pressure on resources.

Engineers must come up with infrastructure that generates publicly available, freely accessible data on the internet for knowledge exchange and assistance.

There is a need to develop Infrastructure that facilitates universal access to green sources of energy, clean water, sanitation and public services. Innovations such as these should bring solutions that are in line with this guide if they are to be relevant today and the future.

Needless to say ,  Investment on research in sustainable sources of food; innovative farming; processing and green preservation technologies is inevitable. “ Botswana Government has since banned importation of some vegetables. The decision at the time made the nation cry foul. I viewed this as an opportunity to make our country food sustainable and reduce importation.” She said.

Purpose of the Engineering Forum

  • It Seeks to provide a think tank for engineering discussions on issues, amongst others, of national concern.
  • Aims to use the platform to change the mindset of engineers, consumers and general public
  • Bring players in the built environment, local and international engineering experts, policy makers, procuring entities and consumers of engineering services.
  • Provide opportunity for dialogue on key topics that are of interest to the engineering community and other stakeholders. 

Where are we Coming from:

 The forum has been birth as a response to a need to enhance reputation of the profession.

“We believe if people talk about issues prevalent in honesty then they can turn around situations.” She added.

The Integrity and professionalism has been eroded over the years, evidenced by unfinished projects, sub-standard engineering works, litigations and cost overruns. These  can be addressed if we strive to restore integrity in the profession.

Objectives of the forum

  • Facilitate discussions on issues and concerns, including those of national concern
  • Address areas such as innovation and creativity in delivery of engineering services and projects
  • Highlight role of engineering society in achievement of sustainable development
  • Create effective partnerships amongst key stakeholders. “We have talked about synergy, if all players would connect and know each other then resources can be utilized better”.
  • Provide a networking platform for all parties in the built environment including consumers of engineering services
  • Mobilize engineering innovation and creativity discussions that will contribute to the national agenda on innovation and sustainability
  • Provide platform for ideas to develop capacity in competence and opportunities for engineering graduates.

As the journey continues for this two year old event Engineer Claire Mosarwa shared the events future with those present. She said that the event is planned to be annual as planned prior and inclusive of all stakeholders .The look to creating similar hybrid event to increase access meaning we have other engineers watching online . At this year’s forum Eng.Mosarwa shared her uncertainty of registration numbers and late registration for the event. She said that in future she urges engineers to take note of deadlines as this hinders data collection which they use to get sponsorship and plan for the event in general.

Engineers Registration Board went all out to Advertise the forum in international media such as DSTV, local newspapers and radio. She however noted that they had limited resources and had to choose   media stream with more effect at a lesser cost.

  • In her closing remarks, she said that attendance was over 300 and they managed to  solicit funds from 9 sponsors . The Silvers sponsors were CPP Botswana ,Debswana and GUC. Bronze sponsors were 03, ACEB, Kalcon, New Era College , China Sstate construction, Knight Piesold. “We strive to build partnerships to grow the engineering profession for a sustainable future . Engineering Forum 2022 we are still sowing the prospect….” she said.

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