By Chantelle Gradidge

“Almost all companies involved in chemical processes employ chemical engineers,” says Andisha Nair, Group Performance Improvement Manager at Afrox. “These include refineries, manufacturing companies, pharmaceutical industries and food production industries. I started my career lecturing at a technikon, so a career in academia is also a possibility, as well as opportunities in the financial sector, such as banks that employ chemical engineers for their analytical capabilities or quality engineering skills.

“My current job requires me to offer engineering support to the day-to-day operations within Afrox. I work closely with the people within my own team, and with other heads of department within manufacturing. A person in this field must have the ability to function within a team – invariably, you will either lead or be part of a team in any project you are working on. High energy levels, dynamism and, especially, assertiveness are important if you are a female working in a male-dominated industry, such as engineering,” says Andisha.

A career in engineering pays well. Junior engineers can expect to earn an annual package in the region of half a million, and experienced or senior engineers can earn way above a million rand a year.

Tertiary formal qualifications are either a diploma, or a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering. As an engineer specialises in a technical field, a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering would also be advisable.

“Back in school, I had an aptitude for Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry – these are the three major subjects that chemical engineering bases its foundations upon; therefore, I decided to pursue my tertiary education

“Some of my current duties within the performance improvement department include identifying and analysing operational and individual performance gaps, designing and developing cost-effective solutions to close the gaps, implementing the solution and evaluating the results.    I am also the custodian of two programmes: a measurement system, KPIs (key performance indicators), which determines the current level of performance within manufacturing operations; and environmental performance improvement (the Afrox Power Savings Plan that focuses on electricity reduction, in compliance with government regulatory changes).

“I enjoy mentoring my team. To see someone progressing through the company and knowing in the back of my mind that somewhere along this individual’s life, I played a part in developing him or her, is very satisfying,” she smiles.

There is a shortage of engineering skills in this country, and anyone wanting to pursue this career will stand a very good chance of securing employment. Globalisation has also made the labour market very competitive, and if the company you work for in South Africa has global parents/alliances, it is possible to get overseas assignments too.

“My advice is, ‘Get stuck into the activity.’ By standing on the wayside, you never really live your life. A scary moment for me was my first climb up a 15-metre ladder of a bulk storage tank. I had a bad case of vertigo and was trembling the whole way up, but I was determined to do it, and I did!” Andisha laughs proudly.

If you are a woman interested in entering the engineering field, visit www.sawomeng.org.za for some interesting information on the career.