Malawian youth urged to pursue a Career in engineering
Precious Kamndaya is a youthful Malawian Civil Engineer. He is urging young Malawians to consider pursuing a career in materials engineering and make a tangible impact on national infrastructure. The field offers numerous benefits, including the development of specialized technical skills, continuous learning opportunities, and the chance to work on significant national projects. Furthermore, the CML provides a unique environment where young engineers can gain hands-on experience with advanced testing methods and contribute to critical infrastructure development. He explains in the following interview what it all entails in an interview with Denis Mzembe:
Mzembe: May you kindly introduce yourself?
Kamndaya: I am the Chief Materials Engineer at the Central Materials Laboratory (CML) under the Director of Roads in the Ministry of Transport and Public Works in Malawi. I am dedicated to advancing the quality and sustainability of public infrastructure in Malawi with over 10 years of experience in civil engineering.
What is your educational and professional background?
I hold a BSc in Civil Engineering from The Malawi Polytechnic, earned in 2012, and an MSc in Project Management from the University of Bolton, UK, obtained in 2021. I have extensive experience in civil engineering, working in both the private and public sectors. I currently lead a team responsible for quality control and testing of construction materials across various infrastructure projects.
What was your motivation before entering the career as an engineer?
My motivation to pursue engineering stemmed from a deep fascination with how different materials impact the durability and safety of infrastructure. I was inspired by the potential to contribute to national development through the construction of sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Additionally, the importance of ensuring the quality and safety of public infrastructure drove me to this field.
What is involved in your work?
As the Chief Materials Engineer, my work involves overseeing the quality control and testing of construction materials, ensuring compliance with national standards. I lead geotechnical investigations, pavement assessments, and materials testing for major infrastructure projects. Additionally, I manage a team of technical staff, conduct research, and serve as an arbitrator in issues involving materials.
Central Materials Laboratory (CML) is a government entity regulated accordingly. Like any other country, Malawi needs access to an unbiased laboratory such as the CML, which performs vital functions that would be difficult to assign to private industry. These functions include:
Over the years, huge sums of money have been invested in roads, dams, buildings, and other infrastructure in Malawi. Enormous amounts of scarce funds will be invested in further infrastructure development in the future. The Government of Malawi has an extremely important role to play in the protection of existing infrastructure and in ensuring that future development, particularly roads and dams, is constructed to the specified standards. Instrumental in fulfilling these roles of Government is the Central Materials Laboratory (CML).
How happy are you working in your position and what is your perception of the construction industry in Malawi?
I am highly satisfied with my role, as it allows me to make significant contributions to the sustainable development of Malawi’s infrastructure. The construction industry in Malawi is evolving, with increasing opportunities for growth and improvement, particularly in quality control and testing methods. The recent government funding boost to CML underscores the critical role we play in supporting the development of public infrastructure.
What would you like to achieve in your career and what are your current efforts to improve the relevance of CML?
My long-term goal is to become a leading expert in civil engineering, contributing to the development of resilient infrastructure in Malawi. Currently, I am focused on enhancing the relevance of CML by implementing rigorous training programs for staff, adopting advanced testing technologies, and fostering collaborations with various stakeholders to improve our technical expertise. Advocacy for increased funding is also a priority to address financial constraints, acquire new equipment, refurbish premises, and support ongoing operations. The government’s recent financial support highlights the importance of our work and allows us to improve our facilities and capabilities.
How would you encourage young professional aspirants to join your career? What are the benefits and opportunities?
I would encourage young professionals to consider a career in materials engineering by highlighting the opportunity to make a tangible impact on national infrastructure. The field offers numerous benefits, including the development of specialized technical skills, continuous learning opportunities, and the chance to work on significant national projects. Furthermore, the CML provides a unique environment where young engineers can gain hands-on experience with advanced testing methods and contribute to critical infrastructure development.
What challenges do you face in your work?
One of the major challenges I face is maintaining consistent quality standards across all road construction projects. Additionally, limited resources sometimes hinder our ability to conduct comprehensive tests and audits. The state of our premises, due to a lack of funds for basic repairs, is a critical challenge. Funding problems have also led to obsolete and deteriorating testing equipment, impacting the laboratory’s overall effectiveness. Despite having experienced technical staff, the high vacancy rate has also hindered service delivery.
What solutions can there be to deal with the challenges?
To address these challenges, we need to implement more rigorous training programs for staff, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and invest in advanced testing equipment. Collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the government, industry, and international partners, can contribute to overcoming funding and resource challenges. Building strong partnerships will support the sustainable development of CML. Additionally, prioritizing the refurbishment of premises and upgrading equipment will enhance the laboratory’s capabilities and ensure it meets or exceeds ISO 17025:2017 standards. The recent government funding boost is a positive step toward addressing these needs.
What is the future of CML?
The future of CML looks promising as we continue to improve our quality control methods, enhance our technological capabilities, and build a more skilled and knowledgeable team. Our goal is to set the benchmark for materials testing and research in Malawi, contributing to the nation’s infrastructure development. The recent government funding boost is a positive step toward enhancing our capacity. Implementing an aggressive recruitment and training regime for technical staff and collaborating with stakeholders will further support our mission. Our vision includes achieving ISO certification, which will solidify our position as a leading materials testing laboratory.
What are your best and sad moments?
One of my best moments was leading a team to achieve significant improvements in our testing methods, resulting in higher quality standards for a major national road project. A deeply sad moment was losing my father in 2010 while I was in the third year of my undergraduate studies. This personal loss was a challenging time, but it also motivated me to persevere and succeed in my studies and career. Another sad moment was facing the challenge of limited resources, which sometimes hinders our ability to conduct comprehensive tests and audits.
What is your last word?
I am committed to the continuous improvement of infrastructure in Malawi and the professional development of our team at the Central Materials Laboratory. I encourage all young professionals to consider a career in civil engineering, as it offers numerous opportunities to make a meaningful impact on our society. The CML remains an essential institution, ensuring the quality and sustainability of Malawi’s infrastructure, and with continued support, we will achieve even greater milestones. I want people to know that CML is different from commercial laboratories as it handles some tests that could not be performed by commercial laboratories, ensuring the highest standards in public infrastructure development.
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