Engineering

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Engineering

The South African civil engineering industry remains in disarray, according to data from the 2019Q2 survey as well as independent data sourced from organisations such as Industry Insight, Stats SA and the Bureau for Economic

Research (BER). The SAFCEC civil engineering confidence index remains at near rock bottom, with a nett satisfaction rate of -96.3, a marginal improvement from -99.9 in the first quarter (the worst it can be is -100).

Employment in the 2nd quarter fell by 13.8 percent y-y and has fallen sharply over the last few years. Since 2014, employment has fallen by just over 45 percent according to the survey, which is a serious cause for concern, and

evidence of the tough conditions faced by the industry. Data from the current survey shows that the civil construction industry remains highly competitive, with an oversupply of contractors in the market competing for fewer work opportunities.

Engineering

WHAT IS ENGINEERING?

Engineering is the practice of science, engineering science and technology concerned with the solution of problems of economic importance and those essential to the progress of society. Solutions are reliant on basic scientific, mathematical, and engineering knowledge. Solutions rely on analysis and synthesis, underpinned by sound techno-economic analysis. Solutions must consider the needs of society, sustainability, and the protection of the physical environment. Engineering work requires management and communication and must be conducted ethically and within the bounds of applicable legislation. Engineering work is essential to both economic activity and to national development. Engineering work, while offering such benefits also involves health, safety, environmental, economic and sustainability risks that must be managed. Effective, safe and sustainable engineering work is founded on the competence and integrity of engineering professionals.

Engineering thus involves activities or contributions to activities that serve economic, social or human needs, including:

  • Designing materials, components, systems, or processes.
  • Planning the capacity and location of infrastructure.
  • Investigating, advising, and reporting on engineering problems.
  • Improvement of materials, components, systems, or processes.
  • Managing or operating plant and processes.
  • Managing implementation or construction projects.
  • Implementing designs or solutions.
  • Research, development, and commercialization of products, and
  • Education, training, and development of engineering personnel.

Engineering

Where effective pursuit of these engineering activities is enabled by:

  • The performance of problem solving, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, communication, self-management, teamwork.
  • Application of specialist and fundamental engineering knowledge and technologies, underpinned by relevant fundamentals of basic science, engineering science and mathematics.
  • Taking measures to safeguard the general and occupational safety, health and welfare of people.
  • Ensuring that solutions are economic, sustainable and protect the environment.
  • Using judgement, guided by engineering knowledge, in decision making; and
  • Adheres to the code of ethics and takes responsibility for the results of the work.
  • Management of projects is a fundamental aspect of all engineering work and is employed by engineering personnel of all disciplines in the performance of their daily tasks.
  • The practice of Engineering thus means the performance of one or more of the engineering activities requiring a great level of competency.