Developing the Next Generation of Engineers at V3 is about more than building technical capability. For Lukie Van Staden, the Southern Cape Business Unit Manager at V3 Consulting Engineers, it is about creating opportunities for young professionals to gain practical experience, develop confidence, and understand the wider responsibility that comes with being an engineer.
While academic qualifications provide the foundation, many of the skills required to deliver successful projects are developed through exposure, guidance, and working alongside experienced professionals.
For Lukie, mentorship is an important part of creating future engineering leaders. As he explains, “Mentorship is about sharing and creating future leaders.”
Developing the next generation is essential to building a stronger engineering profession. Through ongoing mentorship, knowledge sharing, and hands-on project involvement, younger professionals gain the judgement and confidence needed to take on greater responsibility within the industry.
Engineering Requires More Than Technical Knowledge
Engineering is often associated with calculations, designs, and technical solutions. However, Lukie believes successful engineers need to develop skills beyond the technical aspects of the profession.
Young engineers enter the industry with valuable academic knowledge but need guidance on how to apply that knowledge in real-world situations.
Engineering decisions often involve understanding client needs, communicating solutions effectively, working with different stakeholders, and considering the wider impact of decisions.
For Lukie, practical exposure helps young engineers understand that engineering decisions are rarely made in isolation. They require collaboration, judgement, and an understanding of the people and challenges connected to each project.
Developing these skills requires opportunities to engage with clients, participate in discussions, and learn how engineering decisions are communicated beyond the technical team.
Creating Opportunities Through Mentorship
Effective mentorship is not only about providing answers. It is about creating an environment where younger professionals can ask questions, learn from experience, and gradually take on more responsibility.
For Lukie, mentorship is built through open communication and knowledge sharing.
“It’s all about sharing and discussing and listening,” he says.
This approach allows experienced engineers to share lessons gained through years of practical experience while also creating space for younger professionals to contribute their own ideas and perspectives.
Mentorship therefore becomes a two-way process. While experienced engineers provide guidance, younger professionals bring new approaches, technologies, and ways of thinking that can help teams continue improving.
Learning Through Field Exposure
One of the most valuable parts of developing young engineers is allowing them to experience the realities of project delivery.
Lukie believes young professionals need exposure beyond technical design work. Involving them in client engagements helps them understand how engineering solutions are communicated and how relationships influence successful project outcomes.
As Lukie explains, “I think it is important to bring young professionals along to client meetings to understand our V3 culture and our way of communicating to clients.”
This exposure helps young engineers understand the broader responsibility of engineering. Successful projects depend not only on technically sound solutions, but also on understanding client objectives, project challenges, and the needs of the people who will ultimately rely on the infrastructure.
Through involvement in real projects, younger engineers gradually build the confidence needed to contribute to discussions, make decisions, and eventually lead projects themselves.
Combining Experience With New Perspectives
Developing future engineers requires creating teams where different generations can learn from one another.
Lukie believes younger engineers bring valuable perspectives and ideas, particularly as technology continues to evolve. Rather than dismissing new approaches, leaders need to create opportunities for discussion and collaboration.
“Sometimes youngsters have very different ideas,” Lukie explains. “So now the challenge for me is to listen and see.”
This willingness to listen creates stronger teams where experience and innovation can work together.
Experienced engineers provide valuable practical knowledge, while younger professionals bring fresh perspectives and familiarity with emerging technologies. Combining these strengths allows teams to approach challenges from different angles and continue improving how engineering solutions are developed.
Building Engineers Who Understand People
For Lukie, developing engineers is ultimately about preparing professionals who can combine technical capability with the judgement and understanding needed to deliver meaningful outcomes.
Engineering projects affect people, communities, and businesses. Engineers therefore need to understand not only how to design solutions, but how to work with the people connected to those solutions.
By creating opportunities for young professionals to learn, contribute, and engage with real challenges, engineering leaders can help prepare the next generation to take on greater responsibility.
Investing in the Future of Engineering
Developing the next generation of engineers is an investment in the future of the profession.
At V3 Consulting Engineers, mentorship, knowledge sharing, and practical exposure form part of creating an environment where young professionals can grow into confident engineers and future leaders.
For Lukie, the legacy of engineering leadership is not only measured by the projects delivered today, but also by the people developed to deliver tomorrow’s solutions.
By sharing knowledge, listening to new perspectives, and creating growth opportunities, engineering leaders can help build stronger teams and a stronger future for the industry.