This week saw International Women in Engineering Day, as 23 June marked the 11th annual celebration of this important occasion. This is Part 1 of a two-part series.
To honour the day, we sat down with Nelisiwe Mathebula, Senior Business Development Manager at Yellow Door Energy and a seasoned engineer with over 15 years of experience. Nelisiwe shared her inspiring journey in engineering and offered valuable advice for the next generation of women entering the field.
Q: Please introduce yourself and tell us about your role at Yellow Door Energy. What does a typical day look like for you as a Senior Business Development Manager?
A: My role is intended to channel renewable energy, in particular Solar PV and BESS solutions to the market through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). On a daily basis, I engage with potential renewable energy offtakers within various strategic sectors, assisting them to effectively achieve their energy strategies, whether it be energy cost reduction, energy security or decarbonization goals. Furthermore, I work closely with various departments such as the Engineering team and Legal team during the development of an optimal solution for the customer.
Q: This year’s theme for International Women in Engineering Day is ‘Together we engineer’. What does this theme mean to you personally, and how do you see collaboration shaping the future of engineering?
A: Engineering is a process of problem solving through scientific principles, so it is key to note that at the core of every Engineer is the desire to find solutions to any problem. Thus, I believe it is important that we all adapt this way of thinking despite the profession that one occupies – in whatever you do, find a solution and ways to improve and enhance whatever you are tasked with. Take a safety pin for example: it was invented by a man who had financial constraints, and in the midst of his frustration, he twisted a piece of wire which led to a discovery of this simple yet great invention that still exist in our modern times. This should remind us that even in the midst of challenges the is always an opportunity to find a solution, thus Together we Engineer.
Within the Engineering sector, collaboration between various Engineering disciplines has always been at the heart of every solution. You cannot build a power station with Electrical Engineers only, you need Civil, structural, mechanical Engineers amongst many other key disciplines to get to the solution. All Engineering masterpieces have been developed through collaboration. Furthermore, for any Engineering solution to make it into the market and fulfil its purpose, it relies on other professions outside the Engineering sector to get it there, so again collaboration is a key driver of success.
In the spirit of Together we Engineer, I must take this moment to honour women who are not Engineers but operate in the Energy sector, women who embrace our roles in the sector and help us elevate to the pinnacles we aim to reach.
In particular, I would like to acknowledge the game changers I have been introduced to in Yellow Door Energy, from our recruitment team who open doors of opportunities for us, to Forbes Padayachee, our South African CEO, who leads with intellect and wisdom, to the commercial intelligence team who help us navigate the market with ease, our marketing team who channel us to opportunities in the market and create these platforms for our voices to heard, our office managers who ensures that our work environment is conducive and our legal & risk soldiers who help us de-risk the deals we work on.
Source: Yellow Door Energy