Marking the completion of a programme designed to build the management and leadership capacity of South Africa's next generation of consulting engineers, Consulting Engineers South Africa’s (CESA’s) School of Consulting Engineering recently celebrated the graduation of its 2025 Business of Consulting Engineering Management Development Programme (BCE MDP) cohort.

Speaking during the graduation ceremony, CESA CEO Chris Campbell said, “Technical expertise remains the foundation of our profession, but effective leadership requires much more. Leaders in the engineering and built environment sectors require strong management skills to drive effective project delivery, navigate contractual and financial complexities, and transform technical expertise into meaningful outcomes for their organisations, clients, and society. The BCE MDP plays an important role in equipping professionals with these skills and preparing them to lead with confidence in an increasingly competitive and challenging infrastructure environment.”

Dr. Vishal Haripersad, CESA President, further encouraged young professionals to be bold in contributing to the profession's future: "Those coming up in the profession should not be scared to ask questions, but those that have gone before you must also give to give you space to contribute.” He called on senior professionals to reciprocate that commitment by playing their part in developing, supporting and learning from the next generation.

He urged young professionals to become active in their regions and in the structures within their communities, to understand the challenges where they live and work and to get involved in the conversations shaping the industry around them. “Having committed to invest in your own professional development, the responsibility is now to carry what you have learned in the BCE MDP back into your teams and organisations.”

CESA Young Professionals chairperson Marizel Pienaar added, “Completing a programme such as this requires commitment, discipline and a willingness to continue learning even after formal education has ended. You have demonstrated that leadership development is not something that happens automatically with experience. It is something we deliberately pursue.”

"Growth happens when we continuously challenge ourselves to learn," Pienaar told guests. "Diversity strengthens us by exposing us to new perspectives, different experiences, and better ways of thinking. Consider what kind of profession you want to leave behind. This is not only a celebration of achievement, but also a celebration of the potential of the graduates here and of the engineering profession across South Africa and the continent,” she said.

Graduates Reflect on the Programme
For many of this year's graduates, the BCE MDP offered a perspective on the profession that extends well beyond technical engineering skills. Siya Nxumalo, Electrical Engineer at consulting engineering firm WSP, said the programme broadened his understanding of the consulting engineering industry as a whole. "Not just the technical side of engineering, but all round, in financial, contractual, the whole project lifecycle. It ties up all those elements very well, especially as you are working towards professional registration."

Sesona Mgoduka, a civil engineer at engineering firm Hatch, said the course sharpened both her professional and interpersonal skills. "I learned how to manage my time better and how to handle management better, as well as balancing life while trying to better myself."

Nthabiseng Masemola, a mechanical engineer at Hatch, said the programme's focus on quality and project delivery had prepared her for the next stage of her career. "I would definitely recommend this course, it helps you grow as a person and prepares you for taking on a more senior, managerial role."