U.B. organises first open house for Engineering Dept.

If you were to drive past the old Technical College campus on Freetown Road you might think the place had been abandoned. But the staff and students of the University of Belize’s Engineering Department say they are alive and well and to prove it, today they opened the gates of the campus for its first Open House. News Five’s Karla Vernon stopped by for a look.

Monique Sabal, Electrical Engineering
?They say electricity is like love, ?You can?t see it, but you can damn sure feel it!? That?s the reason I am so interested in it, and as well I am the only female in my class. There are supposed to be 18 of us, this is just what we do. Right now what we are doing to this little building is just wiring it up.?

Armin Griffith, Architecture Student
?This is an art gallery, I designed it from scratch basically. If you have creativity you can excel in this program.?

Caleb Mendoza, Civil Engineering
?Survey is a major factor in civil engineering course, because mostly for titles in roads and building, so setting out curves and getting straight lines. It?s the basic foundation for setting out a road no? Once students come and really study and work hard, then nothing really hard, no??

Today the University of Belize held its first open house at its School of Engineering. Some ninety six students are currently enrolled in three degree programs: architecture, civil and building engineering, and mechanical and electrical engineering. Officials hope today?s event will encourage more women to join its programmes.

Douglas Morrison, Chairperson of Engineering Department
?That is one of the areas we are trying to improve to improve to have more females within our programs at this time.?

?We only have up to the associate degree level with the hope that we will be able to expand into bachelor level program.?

According to Douglas Morrison, Chairperson of the Engineering Department, architecture is the most popular course of study, but he maintains that there is high demand for all types of technicians.

Cyrus Samuels Jr. Lecturer, Survey Component
?We do some basic surveying, we do like levelling, and maybe some setting out of small buildings and so forth. We do typography, the nature of the ground.?

?We are having a bit of problems with the programme. It seems they are trying to phase out the programme in some type of way. It?s been here from since Belize Technical College Days, so it would be a loss to the country, a real loss.?

Karla Vernon
?Do most of your students get jobs when they go out??

Douglas Morrison
?Before they even get out! We don?t have enough technicians to provide Belize at this time.?

Monique Sabal
?This is the course to go, and here is where the big bucks is!?

Reporting for News Five, I am Karla Vernon.