In the second instalment of our Spotlight on Africa interview series, we talk to Karanganwa Didier Dignus who is a graduate of the Institute of Engineers Rwanda’s (IER) ‘Bridging the Gap’ internship programme. Bridging the Gap is part of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s (RAEng) Africa Catalyst.

Bridging the Gap was designed around a core justification: that for most Rwandan graduate engineers there is a debilitating gap between the theoretical knowledge they were taught at university and the practical skills that future employers need and expect. Whilst graduates possess strong theoretical grounding in engineering, limited opportunities and exposure results in low-skill development. This lack of practical experience can become a hefty barrier to employment. To address this gap, IER chose to use this internship to raise the practical skill level of graduates.

Didier talks to us about his experience as an intern, his future plans and overcoming the challenges he has faced.

Can you describe yourself and your background?

I am from Kigali, Rwanda. I went to school near here, and then to the College of Science and Technology at the University of Rwanda. Not many people did engineering in my family, but some went to university.

What drew you to engineering?

I love making practical things: when I was younger I used to make toy cars from timber and I would sell them to young kids who would visit.

I also used to love maths, and I was good at it. I liked it because I passed all the tests!

Did you have any mentors who helped you into engineering?

I never knew my father, so my mentor was my older brother. Now I also have a professional mentor, who is a member of the IER. He’s always teaching me and encouraging me. I didn’t want to go to university originally, but he encouraged me to do it and told me my life would be better with a degree. He’s a professional engineer, and even though I don’t work for him and we don’t work together, he’s always guiding me.

What have been the greatest challenges you have faced in the engineering field?

After the Rwandan genocide, I only had one parent. The government introduced a fund to support us, so that meant studying was easier, and so was owning a home.

But when it came to schoolwork, my fellow schoolmates had coaching at home and they had extra help from their families. My mother was a farmer and she couldn’t teach me maths, so I had to work twice as hard to get where I am with engineering.

At first I didn’t want to go to university, but after a while I realised how good it is. I both worked and studied, and I could balance those two things. I fell in love with three of the courses I had enrolled on; soil mechanics, foundation engineering and structural analysis, and highway engineering.

What were the key highlights from your internship with the IER?

The internship took me from being the lowest technician to becoming an expert.

I was very worried that I wouldn’t get a proper job as an engineer but during the internship, the company offered me a job after 2 months. I knew the internship was a great opportunity for me, but I wasn’t expecting a job like that. I’ve now been working for almost year. I remember the exact day – May 16th – so soon I can celebrate one year of employment!

The biggest project I have worked on was the rehabilitation and widening of the Kayonza – Rusumo road in the eastern province of Rwanda. This is an international road which runs across the borders between Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania. It was a project which brought with it many possibilities. It was very exciting and I did so well that I was no longer a trainee, they promoted me to section leader.

What impact has the internship had on your skills and career?

Firstly, the internship gave me the opportunity to get a job. But secondly, it opened doors and allowed me to meet professional engineers who have guided me. I could have not got this job and still have been a steel welder, but I wouldn’t have been able to talk to professional engineers and project managers. Now, I am able to talk to them and they trust me with work and responsibility.

It has had a huge impact on my confidence: I lead teams rather than taking orders. My peers have changed now, and they are project managers, professionals and directors. So I’m more mature as well.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to get ahead in life and I’d like to have a family soon, which now I have the means to do. I want to stay at this company for ten years and settle myself.

Have you got any advice to young people considering a career in engineering?

My advice to young engineers would be to work hard. Now I have my own interns working for me from the university, and I tell them the same thing. Sometimes people think an internship is a time for relaxation, but when your employers are looking to hire someone, they will remember the ones who have worked hard.

The selection of Rwanda for this internship created a huge opportunity for people like me. God bless Africa Catalyst and the RAENG – through them people have been given a chance, even if they weren’t given a job. People have been given the opportunity to work towards their dreams and it is the opportunity that matters.

Keep an eye out for the next instalment of our Spotlight on Africa Catalyst series, in which we talk to interns from programmes which are part of RAEng’s Africa Catalyst.