What started with a question about the future of young people in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro has grown into a decade-long initiative helping to develop the engineers and problem-solvers of tomorrow.
Unity in Africa’s iGEMS programme, which stands for Incubating Great Engineering Minds, was born from research into the critical skills needed in the metro.
The research highlighted a gap between what industry needed and what young people believed their career options were.
“Everyone wants to be a doctor or lawyer, and while those are fantastic careers, not many youth knew about engineering and what the path was to achieve this,” iGEMS general manager Berenice Rose said.
This gap led to the creation of iGEMS, a four-phase education-to-employment programme aimed at identifying young people with an aptitude for technical careers and helping turn that interest into a reality.
Working with schools and communities across the Bay, the programme provides students with exposure to different engineering fields, career guidance, mentoring and the skills needed to make informed decisions about their futures.
However, Rose said iGEMS was about more than simply helping students achieve good grades.
“While technical skills open doors, soft skills keep them open,” she said.
This focus on developing the whole person has resulted in numerous success stories over the past decade. Students have not only improved academically, but have also grown into leaders within their schools and communities.
One student who had the ability but lacked focus and drive improved a mathematics mark from 48% to the mid-70s by Grade 12.
Another student who initially aspired to become an electrical engineer changed direction after being exposed to different career possibilities through iGEMS.
The student pursued marine engineering and was eventually selected as one of only eight people globally to participate in a prestigious programme abroad.
For Rose, these individual journeys represent the true impact of the initiative.
One of iGEMS’ proudest achievements has been reaching 100% employment among its graduates to date.
Rose has also watched former students reach milestones they once considered impossible, including young people in their mid-20s purchasing homes.
“The greatest achievement is not the numbers or a statistic, it is the people,” she said.
As the programme has grown, so too has its approach.
While its core methodology has remained strong, iGEMS has adapted to changing industry needs by adding new skills and opportunities for students.
Despite its impact, operating a non-profit organisation has presented its own challenges, particularly around funding and effective implementation.
Rose said maintaining a strong value system, professional programmes and good governance had been essential to ensuring the organisation remained sustainable.
The programme’s success has also depended on the support of a wider community, including industry partners, volunteers, teachers, parents and staff.
“It truly does take a village,” Rose said.
For Rose, reaching the 10-year milestone is ultimately about the young people whose lives have been changed through the programme.
“It represents a decade of believing in young people, creating opportunities for them and seeing what is possible when talent is nurtured, supported and given a chance to grow.”
Looking towards the next 10 years, Rose hopes to expand iGEMS’ reach, build stronger partnerships and develop a sustainable platform that can continue creating meaningful change in the community.
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