Mentor of the Year
Amal Doorgapershad Knight Piésold engineering judgement by exposing them to tasks of increasing responsibility throughout their candidacy. He emphasises the need for a holistic approach, since registered professionals need to be capable of making decisions that address all aspects of a problem, not just the technical components. Under his guidance, candidates have had opportunities to work on some of the largest steel pipeline projects in KwaZulu-Natal, including the preliminary design, detail design and construction monitoring of: • Western Aqueduct Phase 1 for Umgeni Water – diameters up to 1 600 mm • Western Aqueduct Phase 2 for
A
eThekwini Municipality – diameters up to 1 400 mm • Northern Aqueduct for eThekwini Municipality – diameters up to 100 mm
mal Doorgapershad is
development of young engineering
a professional civil
professionals, particularly for graduates
engineer with over
entering the industry. Aside from sharing
25 years of experience in
his technical knowledge with his mentees,
Most recently, candidates have been
the planning and design of bulk water
he also seeks to uphold the dignity and
afforded opportunities to work on large-
supply infrastructure. Throughout his
ethics of the engineering profession and
scale, cross-border water projects such as
career, he has mentored candidate
leads by example.
the Lesotho-to-Botswana Water Transfer
professionals under his supervision and
He recognises that a blanket approach
• North-South Carrier Phase 2.3 for Water Utilities Corporation (Botswana).
Pre-feasibility Study and the Lomahasha
has been instrumental in creating an
to mentorship cannot be applied and
Namaacha Water Supply project between
environment within Knight Piésold’s
therefore ensures that he acquaints
Eswatini and Mozambique.
KwaZulu-Natal branch, as regional
himself with candidates on a one-on-one
manager, that promotes tutelage and
level and seeks to understand them, their
professionals to learn as much as
knowledge-sharing.
interests and personalities in order to
possible about the management aspects
tailor his mentorship strategy to each of
of engineering. Aside from management
the candidate’s needs.
of projects in terms of resourcing and
Most recently, three of his candidates have successfully obtained their professional registration with ECSA within the past two years. Amal believes that a mentor has tremendous responsibility in the
When scheduling work activities for
Amal encourages young engineering
budget planning and monitoring, the
mentees, Amal assigns tasks to ensure
mentees are always asked to consider
that the mentees are given ample
the risks associated with the designs
opportunity to constantly improve their
and decisions.
26 C E S A A o n E n g i n e e r i n g E x c e l l e n c e Aw a r d s 2 0 2 1
