In order to build the capacity of local engineers, the Ikeja Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has started the construction of a world-class Engineering Resource Centre.
Mrs Funmi Akingbagbohun, NSE Chairperson, Ikeja Branch, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday.
Akingbagbohun said that the resource centre would help local engineers develop capacity to meet current global standards.
The engineer said that it was important to have a place for learning for Nigeria to achieve its desire for local content in all projects executed in the nation.
“One of the key areas we are lacking in Nigeria is the funding of research and development of the engineering profession.
“We need to be able to take the bull by the horn to have a centre where people can be trained properly to ensure they are able to use their skills properly,’’ she said.
She said that the resource centre which had several facilities factored in for excellence, would cater for equipment of professional engineers with current technological training as well as groom young and upcoming engineers.
Akingbagbohun said that the branch had completed the building of its secretariat before embarking on the three-storey engineering resource centre which would also tackle the issues of research and development.
“Presently we are working on another building, which I call the Engineering Resource Centre. Part of my vision for 2020, as I go out of office in August, is to ensure that we have a training centre for young engineers, graduate members and even for skill acquisition.
“The centre is going to have a machine room, wherein engineers who have their designs could come in to use our facilities to create and fabricate machines and work on their designs.
“The first floor is going to have a design room which engineers can use, while we use the opportunity to train young engineers on how to use Auto Card and how to use the soft wares to do their engineering designs and drawings.
“The second floor is going to have a training centre where people will be able to come in and learn more about all the key areas of engineering.
“Then, we will have an international library on the last floor to help people work on researches and projects. We will also display past projects that people have worked on,’’ she said.
She added that she had started an online training to train engineers on how to explore business opportunities in the profession to create more jobs.
Akingbagbohun said that social engineering and enterprising engineering was a major focus of NSE, saying that the branch was planning an innovation and creativity fair for one week to empower more engineers.
She noted that the branch was going to partner with the Bank of Industry and the Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation to ensure more engineers go into manufacturing and inventions.
The chairperson said that being a female required more innovative ideas which she was putting to practice to deliver the world-class engineering resource centre before expiration of her tenure.
She added that the branch was also collaborating with the Association of Professional Women Engineers (APWEN) through various schools and scholarship programmes to get more females into engineering. (NAN)