If you want to send a new plane into the sky, build the next major skyscraper, or make a revolutionary microchip, here’s where to begin
Engineers are at the cutting edge in emerging fields, crafting the very small and exploring the very big. How about decoding a spider’s web to develop a super-strong structure on which to grow human tissues? Or using the symmetries of fir cones to design next season’s outdoor gear?
From information technology and medicine, to health and the arts, engineers are creating the technologies, fine-tuning the hardware, crunching the numbers, and making things happen.
But engineers are also doing the jobs they’ve done for centuries – improving communications, enhancing everyday lives, and reimagining our cities.
In order to achieve Uganda's Vision 2040 ( A Transformed Ugandan Society from a Peasant to a Modern and Prosperous Country within 30 years ), Engineers will play an enormous role every step of the way
“If we are to meet this demand, we need people with the right skills and we need more of them.”
Aeronautics and astronautics
The job: Fancy testing model planes in a real airport or collecting asteroid samples? Engineers are needed to develop lighter airframes, cheaper satellites, bigger airports, faster rockets, and sharper defence systems, as well as advising on all the economic, legal, and environmental issues associated with aircraft operations and performance. It’s a high-flying job, but with safety at its core.
With Uganda's Aeronautics and astronautics sector still in its infancy, the big opportunities exist outside the territorial boundaries of the nation but for an interested student, there are opportunities in Universities in Europe and America for one to study and gain expertise however advances made by Makerere Aviation Society in promoting Aeronautics and Astronautics are commendable
The companies (International and local) to check out : Aston Martin, BAE Systems, Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited,Rolls-Royce, Civil Aviation Authority Uganda, Kampala Executive Aviation Ltd
The choice can be dizzying. This guide will get you started by matching your passions and profile to an engineering specialism.
Bioengineering
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Here are some Bioengineering ventures that Ugandans have undertaken that are worth noting
Matibabu: Diagonizing Malaria without pricking
Winsenga: Smart Phone Based Ultrasound Scan
emusawo: National Telemedicine Platform for Uganda
Civil engineering
The job: The Institution of Civil Engineers likes to remind its members that the 'civil' part of the job is all about people. As well as building bridges, cities, motorways, and hotels, civil engineers are developing the latest systems for supplying energy and clean water to our homes, and for processing and recycling household and industrial waste. Iconic structures such as the Olympic Park, Panama Canal, and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai are the handiwork of civil engineers.
Uganda is a growing every now and then with infrastructure being set up with fly over roads, express highways, skyscrappers, bridges and many other civil engineering works being carried around the country.All this is geared to achieving the National's 2040 Vision
The companies / Institutions to check out: Pearl Engineering Company Limited, UNRA (Uganda National Roads Authority) , Ministry of Water and Environment, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development , Excel Construction Company Limited , Roko Construction Limited and many more
Earth science and environmental engineering
The job: Sustainability is far more than a buzzword for engineers and earth scientists are leading the way in changing our attitude to natural resources and natural hazards, and working with nature to secure the future. Geoscientists provide the hard data for weather forecasters and energy providers.
With 40% of the Albertine Graben Explored for oil in Uganda, men and women will still be required in this field to assist in the exploration of oil as well as look up un-tapped oil fields and mineral fields around the country
The companies/Institutions to check out: Total Uganda, Ministry of Water and Environment, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development
Electrical engineering
The job: Nothing works without power. Electrical engineers are the key workers when it comes to the generation, supply, distribution, application, and control of electricity. They are also vital to manufacturing and leading developments in green energy use, through hybrid and electric cars, ships, and aircraft.
Uganda's power needs are way higher than what the nation is producing from its dams with 93% of people in Rural Areas having no access to Power and so there are opportunities for engineers to come up with alternative sources of Energy and significantly to this field in order for Uganda to achieve substantial Economic growth and Development
The companies to check out: Eskom, UMEME,Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited, Mott Macdonald and many others
Electronic engineering
The job: The 'invisible' software apps and user-friendly hardware we take for granted are the bread and butter of electronic engineers. Skilled electronic engineers can find work in an ever-widening range of sectors from software development to gaming to avionics, to defence to mobile communications. Nanotechnology firms are recruiting staff to engineer the next generation of optical equipment, chemical processing systems, and measuring devices.
The companies to check out: Eriksson Uganda, Uganda Industrial Research Institute, Kira Motor Corporations and many others
Mechanical engineering
The job: 'Mechanical eng' has been around since the start of the industrial revolution, but today’s practitioners are in the frontline of robotics, power generation, fluid mechanics, tribology, construction, and manufacturing. The future of automotive – from driverless cars to on-board automated safety systems – is in the hands of mechanical engineers.
In Uganda, advances have been made in the design of an Electric Car and Solor Powered Bus (Kayoola) by Kira Motor Corporations and so the field is relevant as humans beings will always have needs which engineers will always have to meet.
The companies to check out: Rift Valley Railways, Pearl Engineering Company Limited, Kone, Kira Motor Corporations
Oil and petroleum engineering
The job: With the discovery of oil in Uganda, there is alot of buzz about how it is going to be a game changer in our economy.But for us to gain very well from this resource,well trained and qualified men and women have to be at the helm of activities in the industries both in the direct jobs and indirect jobs that the oil industry provides.
Whether linking up the piping systems in the Albertine graben or developing processes to extract insect repellent from oil, engineers are needed. Prices and demand shift all the time, but upstream and downstream opportunities continue to crop up.
The companies to check out: Tullow , Schlumberger, Total E&P, China National Offshore Oil Corp
As you can see, there’s plenty of overlap in engineering. Electronics doesn’t exist without electricity. Nanoengineers are needed to design the latest robots. Rocket scientists collaborate with civil engineers to build launch pads.
