The Young Professional's Forum (YPF) of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) is in the process of galvanizing the Consulting Engineering industry into getting involved in its National Job Shadow Month taking place for the entire month of July. The aim of CESA's Job Shadow Month is to expose learners not only to the engineering environment but to the Consulting Engineering experience in particular. The initiative complements the Department of Public Work's National Construction Week.

With the Consulting Engineering industry earning a total fee income in excess of R15 billion per annum and employing over 20 000 people in 2010, CESA is mobilizing its member firms and Young Professional Forum (YPF) to accomplish record participation in this year's ‘Job Shadowing' initiative. "Hundreds of Learners (high school juniors and seniors) from diverse backgrounds are scheduled to shadow engineering professionals for a day at their workplace during the CESA Job Shadow Month", says Godfrey Ramalisa, manager client liaison, CESA.

Firms are encouraged to choose a school from their local community and invite pupils to spend a day with the firm during the Job Shadow Month experiencing ‘A day in the life of a consulting engineer'. The idea of the initiative is to encourage learners to choose ‘engineering' as a career. The experience includes job shadowing in the firm's offices and on site. Site visits provide learners with a practical insight into engineering and the integration of the various engineering disciplines including civil, electrical, instrumentation, mechanical, mining and geology, process, transportation, construction, etc., as well as the various aspects surrounding Consulting Engineering e.g. project management. Students will shadow professionals of every level from CEOs, COOs, Divisional Directors, Technical Directors and engineers to technologists and technicians.