Lenard Jere, Acting President of SIE, said the event was designed to broaden students’ awareness of career opportunities while strengthening the link between academia and industry.

Speaking as the guest of honour, Cornelius Mpesi, Principal Engineer at ChriCoh Industries, emphasized the importance of linking academic training with practical applications in areas such as manufacturing, quality management, and plant maintenance.

Mpesi encouraged students to embrace value addition in agriculture, mining, and other key sectors as a way of contributing to Malawi’s economic growth.

The event was sponsored by the Electricity Generation Company (EGENCO). EGENCO Public Relations Officer Moses Gwaza said the sponsorship was aimed at providing students with practical exposure by giving them an opportunity to interact with professionals who are doing well in the industry.

He said such engagements can help students better understand the workplace and prepare for their transition from university into employment.

“The awareness came at the right time, as some challenges require engineering solutions to maintain operations, for example, the rehabilitation of Kapichira Power Station and Nkula B Station,” Gwaza said.

The event also featured contributions from other industry and academic professionals, including Mercy Bambi, a Project and Maintenance Engineer at Vivo Energy Malawi, and Ian Dauti, a Research Associate and part-time tutor at MUBAS.

The awareness day provided students with an opportunity to engage with professionals, gain insights into different engineering career paths, and better understand how industrial engineering skills can be applied to address real-world challenges in Malawi’s industries.