Deputy Minister in the Presidency Buti Manamela will be giving a keynote address at the 3rd Annual Young Professionals (YPs) Sustainability Imbizo to be held on the 11th to 12th August at the Premier Hotel in Kempton Park.

The Sustainability Imbizo is the brain child of Consulting Engineers South Africa’s YPs aimed at empowering them with the best leadership experience embracing general aspects of leadership, community activism and engineering professionalism.

Manamela will be sharing the stage with the National Youth Development Agency CEO Khathutshelo Ramukumba and will be addressing burning issues such as Youth Development and Economic Empowerment.

The Imbizo provides a unique and dynamic platform for built environment and engineering YPs in the public and private sectors to discuss pertinent issues relating to all aspects of delivery and maintenance of infrastructure and engineering projects. It also seeks to establish and maintain structures for YPs to become role-models for school learners as well as providing coaching and mentoring opportunities for YPs from senior infrastructure professionals.

YPF Chairperson Jeshika Ramchund– Moonsamy says Imbizo is a clarion call to YPs of South Africa’s built environment in the public and private sector as custodians of the engineering profession in the country, to empower, encourage, and stimulates the young minds to bring about positive change. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” – Lao Tzu.

“CESA encourages government and private companies to support their YPs’ journey towards positive change in the engineering sphere for a better tomorrow,” proclaims Ramchund– Moonsamy.

Much needed motivation will be provided by Vangile Makwakwa – author and motivational speaker, on the link between emotional intelligence and personal finance. CESA Deputy President Lynne Pretorius will be also empowering the YPs with her insights from years of industry experience, focus areas during her term as incoming CESA President, as well as to inspire and encourage women in engineering to soar to greater heights. Renowned Sunday Times investigative journalist and author of ‘Nothing left to steal’ Mzilikazi wa Africa, will be unpacking the scourge of corruption and interventions for eradication.

The Imbizo offers a number of benefits to YPs through the following objectives:
• Empower Young Professionals with best leadership-experience embracing objectivity, community participation/activisms, professionalism and promotion of engineering principles.
• Establish and maintain organisational structures for YPs to act as role models for school learners and for senior infrastructure/engineering to mentor YPs.
• Provide solutions to skills development and retention by public sector and private sector. Without engineering skills there will be no provision for water, housing and road services but absolute poverty, inequality and unemployment will prevail.

Topics to be covered include:

• Youth Development and Economic Empowerment – government’s and industry intentions and expectations.
• Power, energy, electricity etc. – sharing the bigger picture and skills & business opportunities for YPs
• Motivational: Engineers Finance – discussion will cover personal finance, staff finance and business finance.
• Recognition of the engineering profession – session aim to add building blocks towards recognition of engineers
• Collaborations – discussion to bring change to the African diaspora through education and engineering
• Leadership: Integrity – empowering Young Professionals with anti-corruption armaments and good reasons why we should stop the propensity of greed and corruption.

For more information, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact CESA by email at godfreyr@cesa.co.za or by telephone at 011 463 2022 or visit https://www.cesa.co.za/node/429