The Annual Mayen Adetiba Technical Bootcamp instituted by Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria entered its second edition with the association, more determined than ever to follow through with its mandate to get more girls/women into STEM career. Indeed, the excitement on the faces of the students and the teachers who participated at the event and their feedback indicated that the event, instituted in honour of Engr Mayen Adetiba, the first female president of Association of Consulting Engineers of Nigeria, ACEN, is poised to become a human development factory where young girls are prepared early for the life long career in STEM profession and groomed to succeed against odds.The event which lasted three days covering various activities from bridge designs/construction to robotic engineering and visits to selected engineering sites culminated in the final award and prize giving ceremony for outstanding students and schools as well as teachers who participated.
On day one, over 150 students from various schools trooped to the venue of the event at Rotary Club, Bank PHB Hall, GRA ikeja and joined by enthusiastic teachers, practicing engineers and STEM education experts. They were taken through basic Engineering principles as experts in the industry took time to tutor, demonstrate and educate the girls on practical bridge construction. Thereafter, the students are challenged to showcase their skills and provided materials to build prototypes.
The Day one tasks also included customized workshop for teachers drawn from selected schools who were given updates on the STEM education trends as well other useful information in the industry. It provided an opportunity for interaction between practicing engineers and educators to brainstorm and identify common grounds in a bid to produce the next generation of STEM professionals who will not only study the profession but also motivated to practice and progress as far as possible in their career.
Students undertook various practical works and were given tasks to accomplish having been divided into groups under both supervised and non-supervised environment designed to enable them apply the knowledge acquired and showcase their creative instinct.
Day two was a continuation of the previous day but this time with even more activities added as the students are taken through the Robotics engineering using Lego Mind Storm EV3. Thereafter, the students embarked on industrial visits to Boulos Enterprises Limited , a motorcycle assembly plant, in Lagos and Tranos Contracting, a manufacturer of electrical enclosures and cable trays where automated welding is done and they can appreciate the application of robotics in the industry. The students also had opportunity to interact with the professionals at work.
The day three, was the climax of the programme as outstanding schools, teachers and students are rewarded while by Engr Dr. Nadu Denloye, Co-founder Telnet Nigeria Limited presented the Keynote Address.
Addressing the students, the immediate Past President of Nigerian Academy of Engineering, and APWEN founder, Engr Joanna Olu Maduka expressed her desire to have more girls embrace engineering profession. Noting that this is not a Nigerian challenge but global challenge as the male-female ration in the industry is still far from expectation. She urged the students to prepare themselves to take up the challenge and play their roles in national development. She counselled women to also learn to balance home and career. Saying this is the main ingredient for success.
The final day also had Engr Dr. Nadu Denloye, Co-founder Telnet Nigeria Limited presented the Keynote Address.
In her own address, Engr Dr Nadu Denloye, Co-founder Telnet Nigeria Limited echoed the words of Engr Maduka and added however, that the drive for more women in STEM and engineering especially, is not to create competition between men and women but to stimulate collaboration and work together for the progress of the society. and also because of the current lopsided gender composition in the industry. She added that if students do not take up the challenge to balance the equilibrium, the disparity will continue.
Further, she added that; Men and women have shared responsibility for this country and that the world cannot operate efficiently if women are not involved. The gender diversity in workplace therefore aimed at achieving mutual collaboration and support and complement. It is for these reasons that we need more women in the industry. And it is for this reason that the girls are being prepared earlier to take charge and be part of the nation building.
Engr Mayen Adetiba, in whose name APWEN dedicated the event, on her part thanked APWEN under leadership under Engr Dr Felicia Agubata for honouring her and also for investing massively, both in resources and time, in building future generation of women engineers. She applauded the leadership for sustaining the ideals and vision of APWEN founders.
Speaking further, Engr Adetiba, who is the first Female graduate of engineering from South-South part of Nigeria, noted that the MATBC is a huge project which is determined to be a game changer with more future innovations to be injected into the annual event.
She advised the future MATBC should expand beyond engineering and also include other life learning and knowledge that will transform the future women in STEM career to total professional in their chosen vocation. The programme, according to her is intended to add values and impact positively in their lives.
Earlier, the president of the association Engr Felicia Agubata in her welcome address told the gathering that the choice of the theme: “Creativity- the pivot for sustainable development’' was inspired by the need to build citizens who are solution-conscious and can think outside the box. The world of work is charging fast and innovation is driving the global trends in the industry. MATBC therefore ‘aim to instill the culture in the minds of the students.
She praised the Super Role Model who is being honoured, with the event, Engr Mrs Mayen Adetiba as a pacesetter, an inspiring figure and a trail blazer in engineering profession. She is among the few female engineers who are pressing for the progress of emergent Nigerian women. She is as such, a shinning role model who should be celebrated.
Award of prizes to outstanding students and schools were presented while all winning students also receive their victory medal.
The following Students emerged to clinch the individual award prizes having excelled in the various tasks given at the event. They are: Deminiwei Tamaru Ebiemi of Onike Girls Junior High School who won the 1st Position in individual award category while Alade Maryam Olamilopin of Wesley Girls Junior secondary school and Olushola Damilola of Ikeja Junior High School came second and third respectively.
In school Award category, Ikeja Junior High School won the first position while, Girls Junior Academic Lagos Island and Onike Girls Junior High School came second and third respectively.
Mayen Adetiba Technical Bootcamp for Girls is an annual event organised by Association of professional Women Engineers in Nigeria devoted at nurturing the technical creativity and in girls in secondary schools. Over 150 girls drawn from various secondary schools in Lagos attended the event.
Engr Mayen Adetiba is a past president of APWEN. She is the first female engineer from South-South Nigeria, the first Female President of ACEN. A civil engineer, her career had cut through various industries both in technical and administrative capacities. She sits on board of many companies as director and also founder.
The Super Role Model, Engr Mayen Adetiba was joined at the ceremony by friends, associates and other distinguished engineers led by the first registered female Engineer in Nigeria, Engr Mrs Olu Maduka, Engr Idiat Amusu (The first graduate of Agricultural Engineering in Nigeria), Engr Mojirade Oloruntoba first female chairman of NSE Ilesa Branch and a serving National Executive of NSE, Engr Francis Oguanaman, Past Chairman of NSE Ikeja Branch, Engr Dideolu Falobi, MD Krestal laurel Limited, represented by Engr Dotun Makanjuola, Engr. Chioma Okoli, MD Olivet Cloud, Engr T. K Ibrahim, Engr Nimot Muili, former Chairman APWEN Lagos, Engr Funlola Ojelade, Vice president, APWEN, Engr Mrs. Adelowo, Engr David Omonibeko, Engr Rasheedat Bisi Anifowoshe and host of others.
Report compiled by Mariam Haruna, isqil Najim, Ikene Tobias
