Electricity + Control August 2019

NOT TO BE MISSED ICT Infrastructure Conference & Expo 2019 28-29 August 2019, Emperors Palace, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng The conference will look at the potential of ICT Infrastructure to spur growth in South Africa’s economy focusing on aspects of planning, installation and operation as well as the latest technologies, solutions and considerations for creating world-class ICT infrastructure. Enquiries: visit www.ictinfrastructure.co.za 24 th World Energy Congress 9-12 September 2019, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, United Arab Emirates The triennial World Energy Congress is the World Energy Council’s global flagship event and offers a platform for global energy leaders to explore new, collaborative and sustainable energy futures, critical innovation areas and new strategies. It brings together energy stakeholders from governments, private and state corporations, civil society organisations and intergovernmental agencies, academia and media. It is the longest-running and most influential energy event in the world, covering all aspects of the energy sector. Enquiries: visit: www.wec24.org Electra Mining Botswana 2019 10-12 September 2019, Gaborone Fairgrounds, Botswana Africa’s leading mining, industrial and power generation expo, alongside the first A-OSH Expo Botswana. More than 100 exhibitors are expected. Conference speakers will address IIoT and smart devices changing the face of mining in Africa, artificial intelligence and machine learning in industry and mining, enterprise IT security, smarter safety solutions, managing occupational health and risk, among other issues. Enquiries: visit www.electramining.co.bw Future Energy East Africa 17-18 September 2019, KICC, Nairobi, Kenya The largest and longest running regional power conference and exhibition in East Africa. Enquiries: Clarion Energy, visit www.future-energy-eastafrica. com or Tel. +27 (0)21 700 3500 Off-Grid Experts Workshop 19-21 September 2019, Messe Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany A leading event for self-sufficient power supply with solar, wind and hydropower plants, the workshop attracts installers, dealers, planners, users and organisations from around the world. It hosts lectures, workshops, exhibitions and networking events. Specialist partner of Messe Augsburg is Phaesun GmbH from Memmingen. The official partner of the event is the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE). Enquiries: visit www.off-grid-experts.com I https:// www.messeaugsburg.de/en/ Beckhoff Product Training 2019 TwinCAT 3 and TwinCAT 2 training courses, monthly, to November 2019 Beckhoff Automation offers training for its system components such as TwinCAT 2, TwinCAT 3, IPCs, Embedded PCs, I/O and Motion products. The 3-day training courses are run at Beckhoff Training Centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban. Enquiries: Visit www.beckhoff.co.za or email training@beckhoff.co.za

Young women engineers making a difference

They’re young, professional, altruistic, passionate about the world around them and they’re women. Norconsult Iyanda – a Black-women-owned electrical engineering firm that provides expertise in design and project management for electrical engineering projects – recently honoured three young women who are working with the company, in the traditionally male-dominated engineering sector. Junior Engineer Moreblessing Chipango, 29, Engineer in training, Davina Ramadhin, 28, and Engineering Draftsperson, MichéVan Rensburg, 29, are creating a spark in the industry. While they are all fully engaged in the professional field of electrical engineering, they also share an interest in the health of the planet and particularly in renewable energy. Thuli Njapha, Managing Director of Norconsult Iyanda, said: “We’re proud to be employers of these young women who are part of the next generation of engineers who will, literally, shape the future.” Moreblessing Chipango grew up in a family of predominantly professionals where education was a priority. She knew from an early age that she wanted to do something relevant and important, something that would make a difference in the lives of people. “At Norconsult I am doing what I love and giving back at the same time. Working on electrification programmes means that I have to investigate how people live, what their needs are. I then design electrical systems to meet their needs. “These are my people I am helping; my grandmother lives in a rural area. Bringing electricity to rural communities gives me great satisfaction. It changes people’s lives.” Engineer in training, Davina Ramadhin, joined Norconsult Iyanda after completing her BSc in Electrical Engineering at Howard College, University of KwaZulu-Natal. Having always liked physics and maths, it was a natural progression for her to move into the field of engineering. Davina recently returned from a working trip to Brno in the Czech Republic where she was exposed to the latest global trends in switchgear – the equipment used to protect critical parts of substations. “It was exciting for me to be exposed to a different culture and learn about new and different design possibilities. I learnt, too, that terminology varies around the world, a useful lesson for the future,” she said. Both Moreblessing and Davina are working on their professional registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa. Miché van Rensburg has been with Norconsult Iyanda for eight years and she is making history in her field – as one of only a few women in South Africa who are responsible for interpreting engineering concepts and turning them into design drawings. “I come in between the concept and the construction or installation. One of the most important aspects of my job is working with and understanding the needs of the engineer – I have to turn the engineer’s conceptual design into working plans. I am also involved in setting up projects and ensuring the quality of all drawings in Norconsult Iyanda,” said Miché.

All three youngwomen encourage others to“Aimhigh” and to choose whatever they want to do “… knowing that they can be whatever they want to be”. Njapha says, “A lot of work needs to be done to shift attitudes within the sector, to close the gap between junior and senior women engineers and to move beyond the default hiring of men rather than women as junior engineers. We are actively focused on changing and improving the perception of women in the sector, recognising their capabilities.”

For more information visit: www.norconsult.com

Young women engineers at Norconsult Iyanda, from left: Moreblessing Chipango, Miché van Rensburg, and Davina Ramadhin.

40 Electricity + Control

AUGUST 2019