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CAREERTIP : Mastering effective communication skills can lead to salaries or career growth in today’s digital age

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Even in an era of advanced technology like ChatGPT, which can assist in drafting various kinds of writing, it remains crucial to acquire effective communication skills. Beyond merely conveying information, the ability to speak and write well holds immense value. Knowing how to communicate effectively allows individuals to convey their thoughts, ideas, and emotions in a clear, concise, and engaging manner, fostering stronger connections and relationships in both personal and professional settings. It’s important to understand that effective communication skills are the opposite of constant, careless chatter. Speaking more doesn’t make you a better communicator. True mastery lies in message quality. Active listening One of the foremost effective communication skills involves no speaking at all: active listening. This skill involves hearing words and truly comprehending the message, empathizing with the speaker, and responding appropriately. Contrary to the belief that speaking more is th
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PROFILE: My unconventional career - Pierre van der Spuy

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Dr Pierre van der Spuy tells us about MY UNCONVENTIONAL CAREER which led him to fulfill his passion for Bridge design and teaching.


What was your 1st career choice in the Built Environment?

Civil Engineering specializing in Structural designing for buildings

What motivated you to get into your 1st career choice?

In grade 12 I attended the university open day at Stellenbosch, and the impressive water engineering laboratory convinced me to make Civil my first choice.

What makes your career journey unconventional?

My road to bridge engineering took many twists and turns!

I initially applied to Stellenbosch University with Electrical Engineering as a first choice, Actuarial Sciences was my second choice and Civil Engineering was my third. It was actually the water laboratory at Stellenbosch University that convinced me to choose Civil Engineering.

When I began my studies, I learnt that I preferred the modules in Structural Engineering and wanted to become a building designer. I started my career working in buildings, but the reality was too different from the theory and when I got the chance to try my hand at bridge design, I never looked back. I think it is rare that someone can decide on a final career path as early as first year at university, but Civil Engineering offers a range of options and young engineers should experiment to find what they enjoy most.

What is your current role and what are you learning from it?

I am currently an Associate at Zutari in Cape Town. Becoming an associate has taken the focus away from (only) technical involvement, to all aspects of delivering projects. I had to learn quickly about financial management, people leadership and combining resources to deliver a complete package.

Outside of industry I have a teaching role at Stellenbosch University where I teach Advanced Design to the final year students. This is great fun and I enjoy giving back to academia and Stellenbosch University. It is vital that even undergraduate students are exposed to real life designs and it is great to bring this industry experience to the curriculum. A great lesson in teaching is that many students face challenging conditions outside of class and a lecturer needs to learn how to be sensitive and supportive of this.

ALSO READ PROFILE: Unconventional career - Cuthbert Ngairongwe

Looking back, what have been key learning points in your unconventional career?

As a young engineer you should not be scared to put your hand up when exciting projects come along. Rather get into it and ask questions than not getting into it at all!. This has been the case with many projects, including the award winning Olifants River arch bridge.

It is extremely important to step out of your comfort zone in order to grow, I firmly believe this. It was hard to pack up and go back to university again for my PhD, but it was certainly a period of exponential growth and one of the greatest experiences of my life! It has opened the door to so much more and I highly recommend it if you get the chance!

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