Confidence Tshilande joins other women making strides in the field of engineering worldwide in celebrating International Women in Engineering Day (INWED). Confidence is a professional geotechnical engineer at consulting engineering company Zutari.
Through their achievements are rarely in the limelight, women have been breaking the proverbial glass ceiling in the engineering sector, contributing positively through innovative and creative solutions in projects, assuming roles previously regarded as the exclusive preserve for men.
As the world celebrates International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), for Confidence Tshilande, it is both the time for celebrating the strides that women have made in the sector, as well as seeking ways of improving their participation. Confidence is a professional geotechnical engineer at consulting engineering company Zutari, who works in technical design, site supervision and project management on various engineering projects.
Her extensive project experience includes South Africa, Gabon, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, Malaysia, Australia and Burundi covering various market segments from water to energy, the built environment, transport, resources and manufacturing. “I find it immensely rewarding to have experienced such a diverse mix of projects, as this has given me opportunity to contribute to solving global challenges and improving lives,” comments Confidence.
Part of the Ground Engineering team at Zutari, Tshilande works in technical design, site supervision and project management on various engineering projects. Her extensive project experience includes South Africa, Gabon, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, Malaysia, Australia and Burundi covering various market segments from water to energy, the built environment, transport, resources and manufacturing. “I find it immensely rewarding to have experienced such a diverse mix of projects, as this has given me opportunity to contribute to solving global challenges and improving lives,” comments Confidence.
A career in engineering, presented an avenue which could enable her to play a role in bringing about meaningful change in society through infrastructure development. “I wanted a career with the potential to bring about change in the society. I always wanted to be part of the solution to the challenges we face, such as a shortage of water, power, roads and housing and that’s how I knew that Civil engineering was the right career path to achieve that,” Confidence reminisces.
Her typical day involves solving engineering problems through the application of technical skills, collaborations with team mates and engaging with clients. As a geotechnical engineer, she also travels to various sites to conduct site investigations and field tests in order to co-create meaningful solutions to clients’ problems.
Confidence is also an active leader in industry organisations such as the Geotechnical Division of South Africa Institute Civil Engineering and the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering’s Young Members Presidential Group. In these roles, she has sold the career opportunities in engineering among young and female practitioners in South Africa and across the world. She has also served as Confidence a member of the University of Johannesburg’s council and Executive Committee of Convocation, which has enabled her to contribute to bridging the gap between higher education systems and industries.
However, Tshilande through is under no illusions that that gender parity is about to be reached any time soon in the field of engineering. There are still many rivers to cross. Thus, she involved in initiative to get as many women as possible to take an interest in the field of engineering.
Confidence founded Prestiio, the first-ever social networking mobile app for women only, offering a safe space in which to address the inequality gap. The platform aims to foster global mentorship, promote STEM careers among women, and enhance upliftment between all users, regardless of race, age, culture and nationality. “We are in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which has given me an opportunity to embrace unconventional ways of doing things. This is such a great opportunity to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to global challenges. However, the biggest challenge is to get everyone on board and to educate our society, political leaders and clients on new and improved systems of doing things,” highlights Confidence.
Although women are now given equal opportunities in the engineering sector, there is still a lack of young girls following STEM careers. And this is an area Confidence is aiming at addressing. “There are many opportunities for women to take on. So, we should never look down upon ourselves because we have the potential to bring about the change we want to see in the world. We are the enablers and drivers of this global change. When we embrace diversity and give women equal opportunities, we can achieve great heights,” she concludes.
INWED is an international awareness campaign celebrating the work and achievements of women engineers. Launched initially in the UK by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) as a national initiative, INWED has grown year by year, and has since achieved global reach and UNESCO patronage.
