Exposure to Professional Practice

Pre-Departure Online Training

HEIP's online training program is prepared and delivered by qualified engineers and includes courses on a wide array of topics to prepare the participant for the program and to develop their abilities as humanitarian engineers.

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These online courses include a blend of recorded lectures, slides, assignments and live workshop sessions delivered by HEIP Engineers. A portion of the online courses is mandatory for completion prior to the practical component of the Program to ensure participants are adequately prepared. The remainder is made available for the participants to complete in their own time to further develop their learning. The training courses are based on real industry experience and are focused on providing insight into current engineering practice.

Of particular benefit is the humanitarian engineering course which covers appropriate design, sustainability, stakeholder engagement and impact assessment. Each module has associated critical thinking questions to which participants submit responses and HEIP engineers provide feedback. The modules use real world examples from our partner organisations and are based on a combination of their best practice and our learnings over the past years of our partnership.

The online courses also include cultural sensitivity training, construction techniques and the engineering theory behind them, career development and job applications, risk management, project management, quality assurance and engineering ethics.

On-site Training and Experience

While our time in the practical component is predominantly spent on construction activities in our partner organisations projects, HEIP constantly works to ensure participants learn vital skills for their future careers. Our onsite engineers explain the technical theory behind the construction methodologies, teach the interpretation of design drawings, design conformance and quality control practices. They are available throughout the program for any questions participants might have over the course of the program.

HEIP also works to train participants in teamwork and leadership skills expected of an engineer. Each day on site commences with a pre-start meeting which includes: task allocation, review of project schedule and an OH&S review of the tasks to be completed that day. After a few days of being involved in these pre-start meetings led by our site engineers, the participants then take turns running those meetings. Team roles as such as safety officer and progress reporting are also assigned to participants on a changing roster. By the end of the program participants will have had practice in a variety of leadership positions eventually running the site for that day of work.

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The high demands placed on participants guided and supported by professional engineers is aimed to give participant real skills they can take back and use in their future careers. The fundamental concepts of teamwork and leadership are the same all over the world.

In-Country Workshops / Lectures

During the program engineers from both HEIP and our partner organisations also deliver presentations on subjects relevant to our participants. This includes:

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History of the partner organisation and their key projects.

A detailed discussion on the engineering principles behind the design as well as the lessons learnt throughout the project development process. Delivered as a small workshop with Partner Organisations' engineers.

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Humanitarian engineering and sustainable development.

An in-depth recap of the content of the pre-departure training  courses. Participants are invited to collaborate to review the content of the training and seek clarification. The humanitarian engineering aspects of the projects the participants are currently working on are reviewed in detail.

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Risk Management Systems and Occupational Health and Safety.

Lectures on the fundamentals of risk management, qualitative and quantitative risk analysis techniques, hierarchy of controls,  and preparation of an associated safety management system and documentation. Specific reference is made to the HEIP Risk Management System. Participants are involved in a Risk Assessment Workshop reviewing that system and practising the risk assessment process.

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Engineering Career Development

Workshops including relevant advice from our engineers on career planning, getting a job, and engineering excellence. Participants work on resume writing, interview techniques, networking and develop career plans to guide the start of their engineering careers.