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In 2018 I undertook my first internship on a fire engineering placement at an engineering firm. This was the first time I utilised the theoretical knowledge from my three years at university in a real-life project based context. By the end of the internship, I had a much clearer idea of how to not only overcome a technical problem but how to do so with professionalism in mind. As such, it helped to shine a light on the development of soft skills which I may not have considered before. The internship was also an essential first step for a future career as an engineering consultant. 

Not all aspiring students, regardless of how ambitious or successful they are in their studies, are provided with the opportunity to take such a meaningful first step in their career. The Institution of Engineers Rwanda (IER) has particularly highlighted the issue of the limited opportunities and exposure of students to the engineering sector in Rwanda, stifling skill development and domestic capacity to sustainably provide infrastructure. The additional pressure from the Covid-19 pandemic, halted life in itself in Rwanda and contributed to an even tougher labour market. 

The 'Bridging the Gap' initiative co-hosted by Engineers Against Poverty (EAP) and IER therefore aims to build capacity, local content and resilience in Rwanda's engineering sector through a bespoke mentorship and internship programme. This has included providing experience to graduate engineers on a wide range of projects that would otherwise not have been accessible to them. 

To read more about the 'Bridging the Gap' initiative I recommend reading the following articles on EAP's webpage: 

1) http://engineersagainstpoverty.org/2019/04/02/bridging-the-gap-developing-local-content-with-rwandan-engineers/

2) http://engineersagainstpoverty.org/news/spotlight-on-africa-catalyst-training-the-next-generation-of-engineers-in-rwanda-throughout-covid-19/

The work of EAP has personally resonated with me. I truly believe that enabling the expertise of engineers to be fully utilised is essential for the sustainable provision of infrastructure, contributing to for example better healthcare and access to education through quality constructions. The 'Bridging the Gap' initiative also considers encouraging more female engineers into the sector, helping to address the gender-divide in the labour market. 

Therefore, I've taken the challenge to run the London Marathon in 2021 not only for my personal benefit but for the benefit of aspiring engineers in Rwanda. I hope, of course, that you will also be inspired to contribute to this cause and any contribution is much appreciated. 

If you'd like to chat more about this cause or why I chose to run the London Marathon for it, feel free to contact me on my personal email: aron.t.fransson@gmail.com. 

Stay safe and hope to see you at race day on October 3rd! 

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