“Fostering Human Achievement” is the philosophy championed by Aurecon - a global engineering consulting firm that believes in offering innovative engineering solutions coupled with sustainable solutions to social and economic concerns.
In 2012, Aurecon made the decision to invest in the postgraduate education of black students via generous donations towards the Civil Engineering departments of the University of Cape Town (UCT), Stellenbosch University (US) and the University of Pretoria (UP).
Aurecon who has been investing in its own in-house bursary programme for over 40 years, provided this sponsorship for a period of five academic years in instalments of R400 000 per year for each university and ending with the 2016 academic year. The success of the five year bursary programme motivated Aurecon to continue to contribute towards the education of black students who will become qualified and employable in South Africa’s engineering workforce — an additional R250 000 was invested in the bursary programme during 2017 and a further R250 000 will be donated in 2018.
The success of the Aurecon bursary programme is validated by the fact that the Maties who have received Aurecon bursaries have embarked on a range of careers including in academia. One such individual is Tata van Rooyen, currently a lecturer in SU’s Department of Civil Engineering. Tata received an Aurecon bursary in 2012 for his Master’s degree and again in 2013 through to 2015 for his PhD studies. Aurecon’s support has had a significant impact on Tata’s research career.
“I am grateful that I obtained the bursary as this alleviated some of the financial strain on the research group. We were able to purchase much needed equipment and travel to the USA to present a paper as well due to this contribution. I also did some domestic travel - the bursary therefore aided me in gaining domestic and international exposure.”
Aurecon believes that education is crucial to the successful skills development of tomorrow’s leaders and this value system is demonstrated in the company’s commitment to providing opportunities for talented young South Africans. Through Aurecon’s support for bursary programmes, eight students from Stellenbosch University’s Department of Civil Engineering have benefited —two of whom are currently registered for their Master’s degree.
Albert Geldenhuys, a Matie alumnus and former executive at Aurecon, believes that in addition to the financial assistance given to students, ongoing mentorship is necessary. “Addressing inequalities of the past by providing financial support is the first step, but we also realise that many bursars will continue to need guidance and support throughout their careers,” he says.
For Aurecon, supporting bursaries has been very rewarding in that the company is able to help develop and support passionate, driven and innovative individuals. In turn, this investment will not only help Aurecon future-proof its business, but it will help future-proof the country as well as the communities in which Aurecon operates.
As a global infrastructure advisory and engineering consultancy, Aurecon gives graduates the opportunities to get involved in areas of expertise that interest them, to learn from experienced engineers, and to work on projects that will continue to inspire Africans well into the future. Aurecon bursars are paired with mentors at Aurecon and these mentors are actively involved in the bursars’ career development.
“Students who benefit from the scheme often express their gratitude for the support they receive from the company and many of these civil engineering students from Stellenbosch University who were on the programme, have taken up employment offers from Aurecon.”
SU’s Civil Engineering Department and Aurecon continue to maintain a close relationship. The department works closely with Aurecon to ensure that the bursary scheme will continue to enable black students to be trained as leaders and specialists in field of engineering with the expectation that they will take up leadership roles to fulfil SU’s commitment to contribute to service delivery in South Africa.
“After concluding a career of some 40 years in the Engineering industry, I now dedicate a lot of my time to assist and encourage young people who are driven to help themselves and propel their careers forward. Enjoy your time at University – this is where you will start understanding the fascinating world of engineering. Remember that there’s no alternative for enthusiasm and hard work.”
Albert Geldenhuys, former Managing Director of Aurecon SA