SYNOPSIS

To the question why does one become an engineer, it ranges from ‘my father said so’ to ‘I want to be rich’. Though both are not really appropriate in some circumstances, and the more appropriate reasons to becoming an engineer will be explored, together with the means of fulfilling that role that society has come to expect of engineers. It is strongly believed that the functions of engineers have been carried out in one form or another throughout time, contributing to the progress of mankind in leaps and bound. Hence, one cannot fathom why the current generation of students seems to be shying away from the very noble profession that is so pivotal to the development of the Malaysian society and the nation as a whole. Hence, an attempt will be made to explore some of the misconceptions, believes and expectations that has led to the ‘second thoughts’ in pursuing this “recession-proof” profession.

The requirements of a proper engineering education, certification and training will be discussed together with the salient aspects required for both local and international certification. In addition, the contribution of mentoring in the engineer’s career path will be addressed. This is because the need to be a good mentee has a bearing on the ability of being a good mentor to the future generation of Malaysian engineers. As an engineer progresses, the ability to train juniors and manage issues becomes more and more important over time.

Career development issues that relate to successfully securing long term fruitful employment will be discussed and key factors that affect them will be highlighted for the participant’s benefit. Indirectly, it will address the contention why employers keep complaining about the quality of engineers and why engineers keep getting into jobs that are not suitable in the long term to them.

Furthermore, the importance of BEM and IEM roles will be elaborated upon and how it will benefit all levels of professional engineers as well as the engineering students. In addition, the function of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and how it assists the engineers in sharing their knowledge while enriching themselves will be delved into.


BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Ir. S. Vignaeswaran is currently a Registered Practising Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) and a Malaysian Chartered Engineer (P. Eng) with the Certificate of Practising Engineer (CPE). He has worked both in the public and private sectors of the engineering industry, both locally as well as internationally. His exposure to international engineering practices includes Australia, Saudi Arabia, India, China and this, allows him to share his experiences with his fellow and budding engineers. It is hoped that the talk initiated by the speaker becomes the nucleus for the development and guidance of future engineers in the Malaysian industry. Ir. S. Vignaeswaran has had the privilege and opportunity to be mentored, educated and trained by some of the best engineering professionals both in the Malaysian industry and internationally. It is this and much more that the speaker wishes to share so that the current and future engineers may learn from his experiences and observations.