The Engineering in Africa podcast is now live!
The purpose of the Engineering in Africa podcast is to share the experience and lessons from African Engineers. Episodes will be posted every Monday on the Palucraft GCC Study website. You can listen to the podcast episode from this article or by visiting the podcast page.
We will be sharing the podcast episodes in the Palucraft GCC Study blog because the content of the podcast is very relevant to the GCC community. The Engineering in Africa Podcast episodes promise to inspire and broaden our understanding of the engineering industry in Africa.
Please remember to share your reviews of the podcast. You are also welcome to suggest a topic you would like to be covered.
With that said, here is the introduction to Engineering in Africa Episode 1:
Introduction
In December 2019, my skills development and training business was gaining momentum. Many of the plans I had for the company and myself were starting to shape up, and I was indeed approaching my peak state.
I knew I could achieve more. So, I had this idea of starting a podcast. I felt that the podcast would be a great addition to the platforms where I can share engineering opportunities that help advance the engineering profession in South Africa.
But then again, I thought, why not expand the concept to the whole of Africa. And that's how the Engineering in Africa podcast was born.
By January 2020, I had to enter the unfamiliar territory of podcasting. I had to understand the different platforms used. I had to understand the type of technology I will need to use to make it possible. And most importantly, I had to deal with my insecurities and fears.
In February 2020, the talks of locking down the country were gaining momentum. By the end of March 2020, South Africa was on lockdown.
My business was severely affected by the lockdown and killed my initial momentum.
Adapt or die
Fast-forward to December 2020, Covid-19 and lockdown is the new normal. Like everyone else, I had to adapt and relook new ways to carry on with my life mission.
By January 2021, I gunned the strength to record the first batch of podcasts. They were not perfect but were a great start. I had to learn the importance of starting where you are and focusing on execution instead of over planning.
I had to get out of my comfort zone and execute the Engineering in Africa vision.
So, I had back-to-back interviews with my industry colleagues who had inspiring stories to tell.
Today, I am proud to present to you the first episode of the Engineering in Africa podcast. It has been a journey that started in 2019, and in 2021 we have this new platform live.
I am happy that I have regained my drive to contributing positively to the engineering industry.
And, this first episode promises to do just that.
Engineering in Africa Episode 1
In this episode, I speak to Eric Ilunga about his engineering journey. We talk about his experience from struggling to get a job in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the barriers he had to face in South Africa.
The other inspiring aspect of Eric's journey is how he eventually completed his degree, got a job in South Africa, and now works in the Czech republic.
Eric's story is one of grit. There will always be challenges in pursuing an engineering career. The important thing is to persevere and push through the pain and challenges.
I hope that this episode can inspire a student in the Democratic Republic of Congo to take up engineering as a career and never think about giving up.
I hope that this episode can inspire a South African student to take advantage of the many opportunities we have as South Africans. I hope that this South African student will realize how privileged they are, and there are zero excuses not to achieve your goals.