Why Mentoring Students is a Must

Lithon’s head of transportation, Richard Laborn, is not only interested in getting people from A to B on a state-of-the-art national freeway. He’s interested in the journey young engineers take through their careers too. As a civil engineer with 30 years of experience, he’s had plenty of time to hone his gift for mentorship. Richard shared some of the reasons why he loves helping young engineers develop their careers. 

 

 

The Challenges Facing Today’s Young Engineers

One of the challenges for students and young engineers today is that it’s too easy to Google the answer to something (or even ask ChatGPT). This removes the process of having to find the answer, or first identify and then solve the problem, yourself. Engineering is all about problem-solving, and it’s a step-by-step process, says Richard. But the ability to problem solve is a skill developed over time, and the students of today are missing out on a big chunk of that learning, with information constantly in their pockets.  Engineering is simply one of those fields where you have to solve problems by going through each step. There are no shortcuts here.

 

Another challenge, which is partly attributed to the above, is the widening knowledge gap between generations of engineers. We are losing some of the valuable knowledge from past generations of professionals because this is not being passed down. 

 

 

Why Mentoring is Important 

Mentorship is a process of passing on shared knowledge – passing the baton, so to speak, to the younger generation. It’s also a way to hone in on the necessary skills that only practice can teach us. One of these is the ability to problem solve. 

 

Students and young engineers, like anyone new to their career, are like rough, unpolished diamonds, muses Richard. As a mentor, you’re providing them with the tools they need and showing them how to use them. You are helping this raw, undeveloped diamond to find its shape, and to shine. Essentially mentorship helps others reach their potential more quickly. 

 

Unfortunately, there aren’t as many opportunities for gaining experience today as there were 30 years ago. So, it’s increasingly difficult for engineers to find a company that can expose them to a wide array of projects, and where they can learn the diverse skills that will set them up for their future careers. This is one of the reasons mentorship is so important to us at Lithon. We want to help polish the next generation of excellent engineers.

 

 

How Mentorship Works at Lithon

We love to provide opportunities for students and young engineers willing to grow and learn. Working at Lithon provides exposure to many different types of engineering projects, so it’s a great place to gain experience. 

 

We typically offer internships to 3rd or 4th year engineering students or newly qualified engineers. We have also been providing mentorship to some young engineers for government clients. This has been an excellent opportunity to give back by building capacity in the public sector. 

 

We’re very proud of some of the engineers who have grown amazingly under Lithon’s mentorship and moved through the ranks, including Ephraim, Eva, Petrus, Jacobina, and Cilliers – to name a few. 

 

 

Richard’s Advice to Young Engineers

Having the right attitude and a willingness to learn is essential, emphasises Richard. As a young engineer, you have to be the one to decide that you want to grow and then do the work to become that beautiful diamond. “I can give you water but you have to do the growing yourself,” he says. It’s not easy, but with the help of a mentor, you’ll get there!

 

 

Let Us Help You Succeed Too

At Lithon, we’re committed to helping young engineers grow and succeed. If you are a student or early-stage-career engineer and would like to apply for an internship at Lithon, get in touch with us by emailing: info@lithon.com