In the dynamic world of engineering, nurturing future talents is crucial for the advancement and sustainability of the industry. This notion was vibrantly brought to life at the University of Pretoria’s (UP) recent Civil Engineering prize-giving event. This prestigious occasion was a testament to the dedication and hard work of young minds poised to shape the future of civil engineering.
Zutari, a practice deeply committed to fostering the next generation of engineers, was a proud supporter and sponsor of the four prizes awarded to the top civil engineering students throughout their first and fourth years. The event celebrated academic excellence and was a beacon of encouragement for students at the threshold of their engineering careers.
Head of the Department, Professor PJ Gräbe, delivered congratulatory and encouraging words to the students in attendance. He highlighted that though they cannot all be number one, they will still go on to contribute significantly to the civil engineering field, reminding and affirming them that “Success can be defined as consistently doing small things right.”
Rowland Burke, Lead: Infrastructure, Digital Design Centre, presented the prizes on behalf of Zutari. Walter Gilfillan was awarded the Zutari-Departmental prize for the best first-year student, and Igor Cilliers received the Zutari-AW Rohde prize for the best second-year student.
Rachel van Zyl, a Zutari bursary scheme recipient, was awarded the Zutari-GPR von Willich prize for being the best third-year student. Rachel’s hard work earned her 9 out of 12 awards presented at the prize-giving ceremony, an exhibition of her passion and determination that fuelled her success.
Tshegofatso Kubayi, who won the Zutari-GPR von Willich prize for best third-year student in 2023, will be presented with the Zutari-DW de Vos prize for the best final-year student in Civil Engineering during the graduation ceremony on 09 May 2024.
The future of engineering begins with nurturing the potential of future engineers. Zutari supports bright young students in finding a stepping stone to academic success and beyond through the bursary scheme, early talent attraction, and emerging talent offerings, showing grit to shape the future by giving all to the present.
