We hosted another powerful session in the Women in Technical Workspaces webinar series in November, titled “Engineering the Future: Celebrating Women’s Technical Brilliance.” The session was facilitated by Warren McLachlan, Technical Specialist: Roads & Highways (Infrastructure + Energy) at SMEC South Africa, who set the tone by noting the online audience that: “Women have excelled in every discipline and level in companies – their roles in consulting engineering should not be limited.” 

The first speaker, Jabu Nhlapo (Pr.Eng, MBA, M.Inst.D), Engineering Manager at Zutari, shared her journey in technical leadership, encouraging young engineers to take initiative in their growth. “A critical part of growth and opportunity as an engineer is to volunteer yourself beyond the minimum day-to-day tasks you’ve been given,” she advised. She further emphasised the importance of leadership rooted in empowerment, stating, “The best thing you can do as a leader is create engineers who are better and stronger than you were – by passing on your knowledge.” Reflecting on practical experience, she added, “Women engineers need to build confidence to go to site – it’s imperative to being an engineer and being technically astute.” 

The session continued with Waseemah Isaacs, Director & Regional Manager: Western Cape at Knight Piésold, who spoke about her career development and transition from Principal Technologist to senior leadership. She encouraged young engineers to embrace curiosity and resilience: “Learn as much as you can and don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s okay to be afraid of failure but be prepared for when it happens.” She highlighted the importance of mentorship and hands-on learning, reminding attendees that “The real learning happens through practical exposure – not just from seniors, but also from your colleagues.” 

In the Q&A discussion, Jabulile Msiza, Director & HOD: Waste Engineering at Jones & Wagener, reflected on confidence gaps often experienced by young women in the sector. “Women engineers often hesitate to put their hand up because they don’t think they’re capable, because of the perception of men being the ‘natural engineers,’ while women feel the need to prove they’re competent.” 

The webinar concluded with closing remarks from Jabulile, who thanked the speakers for giving back to the profession and inspiring emerging engineers, as well as the attendees for their engagement. The session reinforced the importance of visibility, mentorship, and continuous learning in advancing women’s technical brilliance within the engineering industry. 

If you missed the webinar, you can watch it here on our YouTube channel – CE-tv.