Structural Engineer Nhlamulo Ritshuri tells THIS IS MY STORY about Klipspruit Mine Extension for South32 a project that made her the Engineer she is today.
Please give us a brief summary on your career
After graduating from university I got an offer for an internship at the Johannesburg Roads Agency. From my first week there I knew it was not a path I wanted to take so early on in my career, and the salary made the decision easy (LOL).
I then moved to Afri-Infra Group on contract for a water reticulation project with Johannesburg Water. I learned so much from that project and met some brilliant technicians that I am still in contact with. I then got an offer from Munyai Malaka Engineers as an Engineer in Training. This is where I can say my career as a Structural Engineer started.
I worked on residential and commercial buildings, designing both reinforced concrete and steel structural elements and performing quality control on site. When this opportunity ended I got the opportunity to join Aurecon SA (now Zutari) as a junior structural engineer. I joined the Resources and Manufacturing Unit where I began my journey designing bulk material handling structures for mines.
As time went on I also got involved in designing substations, warehouses and other building structures for the industrial, petrochemical, energy and mining sectors. I am now a professionally registered engineer and project manager about to venture full time into the mining sector. I am very excited about what the future holds.
Give us details of a project that made an impact in your career.
Working on the Klipspruit Mine Extension for South32. I got involved in the project while it was still at the feasibility study phase when I first arrived at Zutari. I progressed with it through the detailed design phase all the way till execution. I can say that this project has made me the engineer I am today. It offered so much experience in terms of planning, designing, costing, construction, stakeholder engagement and every aspect of project engineering that one can get involved in.
What was your position on this project?
Structural Engineer/Assistant Resident Engineer
Why does this project stand out to you?
It was a big project for the unit and company and I worked hard to see it till the end. Leaving home before the sun rises and returning after it has set, our lives were on hold but the end product was worth every moment. Not to mention being the only black female on the site from my company and dealing daily with contractors was an experience I will not forget. I honestly felt welcome and they did their best to also teach me so much of what they do and what makes their work easier from a design perspective. That's not to say they didn't try to take shortcuts and backstab me to save themselves (LOL).
What were the important lessons you learnt from this project?
I can do anything I put my mind to. From fighting my way to get the opportunity to be on site and to completing a reservoir, pump stations and a pollution control dam; structures I never thought I would be working on. The project stretched my thinking and patience. I learned that there is room to grow at every moment in engineering and if you are open you can do brilliant things.
What were career regrets you experienced on this project/incident/situation
Allowing certain situations of ill treatment to continue for longer than they should have because of the "that's how we do things here" response. There is a Tsonga proverb that says "N'wana loko a nga rili u ta fela a dzobyeni" which loosely translates to " A child that does not cry will die unnoticed on their mother's back".
The engineering sector is so unregulated (things are not equal or guaranteed) that if you don't ask and fight for what you want, you will die poor and tired and no one will offer you what you feel you deserve.
How did you overcome your regrets?
Keep it moving! Don't dwell too much on your mistakes, take the lessons and use them as you move forward.
What has been the most satisfying thing for you personally/career wise about this project?
Watching a structure you design going up and operating. Sometimes it is hard to quantify our contribution as civil/structural engineers, especially because as soon as the construction is done we are not usually involved in the commissioning (everything becomes more mechanical or electrical engineering in my case). We quickly move on to the next structure/project. I would encourage engineers to go back and see their structures at work, nothing beats that feeling.
This industry is said to be one of the toughest industries , how did you manage to stay in for so long?
I ask myself this every day (LOL). Every time I am on the verge of quitting I get handed a lifeline. You definitely have to fight for EVERY growth opportunity. I have started to view my career like I view life; it has ups, downs and flats.
The aim is to not stay down for too long, find ways to get back up to a flat or a high. Get a postgraduate degree, obtain certifications, challenge yourself and take up a stretch opportunity outside of your knowledge area, surround yourself with people that are doing "big" things in the industry. Big in quotes because sometimes all they did was put in an application for a committee that exposed them to the big things... This industry is vast, if you just look closer you will find your place where you are not competing and struggling but thriving.
In your opinion what are the biggest challenges facing the industry currently and how can they be overcome?
The engineering industry in South Africa does not want to change in order to retain talent. I graduated with more than 50 people from my class and many have long left engineering or the country to practice elsewhere. Those that have remained are or have thought about changing paths; if it is not about the poor salaries, it is the hostile environments that are not welcoming to "other". This article expands on these disparities and it does not only apply to women, men of color also feel the same isolation. For the industry to grow it has to truly transform and WANT to transform.
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