Professional Engineering practitioner Sibongiseni Cebekhulu tells us how his journey to Professional Registration has benefited him.
Dr Nelson Mandela once said "It always seems impossible until it is done". This sentiment captures perfectly my journey to Professional Registration. Before I embarked on this journey it seemed like a huge mountain that was almost impossible for me to climb. The registration forms were too intimidating for me. The entire process seemed to be extremely difficult before I even started with the registration journey.
It is during those moments of self doubt that I relied on the phrase "God will never let you start, what would be impossible to FINISH" .This helped me get through my journey when giving up seemed like a good option.The journey got easier and simpler. This was made possible by the ECSA referral documents. The planning strategy of breaking-down the TER's into chronological order simplified my journey. Understanding the sequence in all the OUTCOMES especially 1,2,3,9 & 10 also simplified my journey. Taking it one-step at a time smoothened the bumps on the road.
The journey definitely got easier but I still had the following some obstacles to overcome
- I submitted my registration report in 3 Years, 1 Months after my B-Tech Degree. Doubting my experience - Believing in myself, exercising Engineering theories & principles to solve Engineering Problems and also attending SAICE & IPET road to registration Webinars.
- Striking a time balance between work, home, and ECSA report. At the time, I started with my report. I was just blessed with a Daughter and it became so difficult to make enough time to focus on my report - I had to sacrifice the sleeping time, and cut-off entertainment times to focus more on my Report.
- I had to undergo TWO INTERVIEWS (EA Interview and PR Interview) and at some point I felt like losing it - CALM, TAKE-IT AS IT COMES, PREPARE!......PREPARE!.....PREPARE! I took the EA interview to my advantage to prepare for the PR Interview.
After all is said and done I would say the journey made a good impact on my career. Professional Registration is the core requirement in the current position I am in. My confidence levels have increased to a point that I now mentor a number of Engineers-In-Training and Technician-In-Training.
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I recommend this journey to all Engineering Hardhat Professionals because when you are Professionally Registered Engineer your Engineering decisions become validated, because the registration says you take seriously your legal responsibilities and accountability. This also enables you to take full ownership of decisions made because you can argue and defend your decisions with Engineering Principles. Above all, this journey boosts your confidence.
I recommend that all Civil Engineering Hardhat Professionals embarking on this journey should attend free Webinars at SAICE & IPET. In the two interviews I attended, It happened that I knew one of the panel members. That completely relieved my nerves.
Sibongiseni Cebekhulu is a Professional Engineering Practitioner with +11 Years in the Built Environment Industry. He has worked for the Private and Public Sector. His area of specialization is transportation, railway industry, water, petrochemical & gas industry.He has led a Technical Support Department, and currently he is a Civil Engineering Technologist for Design Office at Transnet Pipelines.
He is currently registered at ECSA as Professional Engineering Technologist (Pr. Tech Eng) and Professional Engineering Technician (Pr. Techni Eng) respective. He is also registered as a Project Management Professional with Project Management Institute (PMP - PMI) and also an SAICE associate Member in good standing.
If you are Hardhat Professional (Construction/Built Environment Professional) we invite you to share your journey to professional registration by submitting your details here
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