MY name is Taimi Namupaasita Mwatange. I was born and raised in Tsandi Omusati region.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering and I am registered with Engineering Council of Namibia as an Incorporated Electronic Engineer. I also hold a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and Master’s in business administration with majors in finance.
Over the years, I obtained both technical and leadership skills while working as a Core Network Engineer with Telecom Namibia, a position I hold todate.
My philosophy is based on the principles of accountability and transparency. I have a high degree of empathy and social skills that helps me to get along well with people.

Q: Engineering is regarded as a man’s domain. How do ladies find their space in the profession?
A: Engineering has traditionally been considered a male-dominated field, but there has been a gradual shift towards greater gender diversity in recent years.
There are several ways in which women can find their space in the engineering profession. In my case, I pursued degrees and certifications in Electronic Engineering disciplines majoring in Telecommunication.
With a solid educational background, I can demonstrate my competence and technical knowledge to potential employers. As a woman, I break down gender stereotypes by demonstrating my technical skills and leadership abilities and challenge the traditional view of engineering as a male-dominated field by advocating greater gender diversity in the workplace.
Overall, women can position themselves by pursuing education and training, networking, breaking stereotypes, and emphasizing their unique skills and strengths. The engineering profession can benefit greatly from increased gender diversity, and women have an important role to play in shaping the future of the industry.

Q: What is your position in NAMWIE exco?
A: NAMWIE is a voluntary non-profit national registered organization focused on promoting women engineers and nurturing engineering talents among girls with the goal to promoting the girl child in Namibia.
As an Executive Associate Member, I facilitate, execute and support the objectives of NAMWIE for the benefits of its members and beneficiaries. This position empowers me to perform executive roles such as strategic planning, collaboration, policy formulation and implementation, and overall leadership together with other executive members.

Q: Take us through one topic or activity (ies) of NAMWIE
A: Online webinars on ‘The Art of Public Speaking with Female Engineers’ in collaboration with local and international experts/public as speakers.

Q: Describe the activity.
A: Online webinars became particularly useful during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the restrictions on social gatherings and travelling. As a result, many in-person events, such as conferences, workshops, and seminars, were cancelled or postponed. The pandemic highlighted the importance for continued learning and professional development. Also, online webinars provided a convenient and cost-effective way for individuals to access this information and stay current in their field of work.
With this background, NAMWIE was not an exception when it came to online webinars during COVID-19 outbreak. We arranged various webinars ranging from The Art of Public Speaking with Female Engineers, Emotional Intelligence, Science quizzes and, Leadership and Empowerment just to mention but a few.
The Art of Public Speaking with Female Engineers focused on public speaking skills by giving the tips and tricks of an effective presentation to women engineers. Public speaking is a key to all other leadership skills and it is essential to those who aspire to the senior management positions in their companies.
As engineers we have brilliant ideas, however, it becomes a challenge to voice it out and present it for business opportunities national and international. We believe that equipping our engineers with these skills is a benefit. The webinar’s keynote speaker was Ms. Sarah Richson from United Kingdom. Sarah is renowned as a global speaker and is a Certified Executive Coach and Governance expert whose exceptional standards and consistent results make her a much sought-after professional in her field.

Q: What are its goals?
A: The webinar session focused on cultivating public speaking skills in our women engineers by giving the tips and tricks of an effective presentation.

Q: What are the objectives?
A: To introduce engineers to tactics for coping with anxiety about public speaking.

  • To provide an overview of an effective presentation.
  • To provide a platform for female engineers to describe their main challenges when it comes to public speaking.

Q: If there’s any challenges met during the activity. etc.
A: While online webinars have many benefits, there are also some challenges that can arise, including: Technical issues: Technical problems such as poor internet connection, glitches in video conferencing software, or hardware malfunctions can disrupt or even cancel a webinar and even things like lack of engagement.
Time zone differences is also one of the online webinars challnges especially when hosting a webinar with international participants like Sarah.
We identified these challenges as a team and came up with a mitigation plan to ensure that technical issues are minimized, engage participants through interactive elements such as polls and chat features as well as schedule webinars at times that are convenient for the majority of participants and provide accessibility in advance.

Q: How can the World Women’s Day be used to advance women?
A: International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It is also an opportunity to highlight the ongoing struggles for gender equality andto advocate for greater empowerment and advancement of women.
International Women’s Day can be used as a platform for raising awareness, about the challenges faced by women around the world, including gender-based violence, unequal pay, lack of access to education, and limited representation in leadership roles.
In addition, the day can be used as an opportunity to celebrate achievements of women in various fields and industries. Recognizing the contributions of women can help to inspire the next generation of female leaders. Furthermore, International Women’s Day can be considered as a platform to bring together women from different backgrounds and communities. This can help to build unity, foster collaboration provide opportunities for networking and mentorship.

Q: What advice would you give to women, particularly the youth, wanting to join your profession?
A: If you’re a woman, particularly a young woman, interested in joining the engineering profession, my advice to you is don’t think twice, go for it, pursue your passion. All you need to do is to choose STEM subjects
in school and later pick an area of engineering that you’re truly interested in and passionate about.
This will make the learning process more enjoyable and will help you stay motivated throughout your career.
Secondly, build a support system and surround yourself with people who believe in you and support your aspirations. This could include friends, family, mentors, and fellow female engineers.
Thirdly, attend networking events, conferences, and industry gatherings to connect with other professionals in the field.
This can help you build relationships, learn about job opportunities, and gain insights into the industry.
Lastly, believe that you have what it takes to succeed in engineering, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.