Chairman of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Mrs. Eme Nyah Enoh has urged young girls to study sciences and pursue engineering courses emphasizing that they can excel and reach the pinnacle of their careers in the male-dominated fields.
Mrs Enoh stated this during a public lecture and the inauguration of the 5th chapter executive in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
She said women in engineering are more than just office administrators pointing out that as a Civil Engineer herself, she is living proof that women can excel in hands-on, technical roles.
“I am a Civil engineer, I don’t work in the office as alleged in some climes. The believe that a woman works in office even if she studied engineering is false. A woman can embrace engineering and excel in the profession like the male counterpart,” she averred.
The APWEN Chairman explained that her journey into engineering began in JSS two when she went through a magazine and saw a woman in engineering attire.
In her word, “I was captivated by the image and asked what it took to become like her, and that was what set me on the path to becoming a Civil Engineer.”
Mrs Eno therefore encouraged young girls to study sciences and pursue careers in engineering while advising parents to support their girls’ interests in engineering so as to bridge the gender gap in such fields and create more opportunities for women to excel.
“I will like to encourage young girls to study sciences, and embrace engineering. I tell you they can work until they get to the zenith of their career. I advice parents to encourage their girl-children to embrace engineering. Engineering is a very good profession that is not exclusively reserved for men,” she assured.
Mrs Enoh shared that she bought her first car while still an engineering student, attributing her success to the power of engineering.
She advised students to thoroughly grasp their profession, saying, “Don’t just float, know the nitty gritty of the profession, and you will succeed.”
The APWEN Chairman gave the assurance that engineering presents numerous and diverse opportunities, enabling individuals to succeed in various fields.
“As an engineer, you would not need to look for jobs, rather jobs will look for you. Even as a student engineer, if you know what you are doing, they will be bringing designs for you,” she boasted.
The guest speaker in the public lecture, and acting Head, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Dr. Nkpa Ogarekpe, highlighted the critical link between climate change, rainfall intensity, and urban flooding in Calabar.
He emphasized the need for hydraulic engineers to consider climate change impacts during design stages to prevent infrastructure failures.
