Happy World Engineering Day, Engineers
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- March 4, 2021
Engineer’s Day is observed in several countries on various dates of the year. As of 20 November 2019, the World Federation of Engineering Organizations has designated March 4th as “World Engineering Day, (WED)” for a Sustainable World.
The theme for this year’s meeting which will be virtual is “Engineering for a healthy planet: Celebrating the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) Engineering Report” this happens after the first UNESCO report was launched 10 years ago.
The WED offers the opportunity to highlight engineers and their achievements in our modern world and provide us with an understanding of how engineering and technology is central to modern life for sustainable development.
The Institute of Engineers of Kenya, IEK President Eng. Nathaniel Matalanga said,
“Engineering plays a key role in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as it utilizes the principles of science and mathematics to develop practical applications that enhance food security, water supply, reliable energy, the environment, sustainable cities, natural disaster resilience and other areas which are crucial to all mankind. In Kenya, it is the IEK’s mission to make engineering the heart of our development.”
As the industry regulator, the Engineers Board of Kenya, EBK is responsible for the registration of engineers and engineering firms and the regulation of engineering professional services. The regulator also oversees the setting of standards and the development of the general practice of engineering.
The Chairman of the Board, Eng. Erastus K. Mwongera has assured Kenyans of the Board’s commitment to ensuring quality engineering education in Kenyan universities to achieve global standards.
The Board has designed a structured training program for graduate engineers to ensure they attain the professional competences required to transition to professional practice. Engineers in Kenya are required to keep their skills and knowledge up to date by participating in continuing professional development program offered by the Board and its accredited service providers.
On 4th March 2021, the WED will focus on celebrating the launch of the 2nd UNESCO report, the new report brings out the role of engineering in delivering the 2030 agenda for sustainable developments, it shows how inclusive and gender-equitable engineering profession can bring about new perspectives and thus respond to the shortage of engineers.
An international day with coordinated celebrations across the world is an opportunity to increase the profile of engineering.
The day is also an opportunity to interact with the government and the industry to address the need for engineering and the quality of engineers around the world.
This is a way of promoting engineering as a career and an opportunity to change the world for the better.
Engineers are essential for sustainable developments i.e. infrastructure such as roads, they are also essential for a peaceful world since they come up with technologies and systems that progress sustainable developments, even in the advent of the COVID-19 that the world is currently dealing with.
The equipment and tools used in the development of the vaccines are actually engineering products.
Happy World Engineering Day!
