EWB French-Australian field officer for the project

Hi there,
I am Alice the current EWB field officer for the project.
I arrived in Dili on the 2nd of August and will be here for 12 months.
In this announcement I tell you a bit about myself, describe further the project and present my role as the first EWB field officer of the project.
I am open to advices and suggestions on the project so please feel free to start discussions if you feel like it.
Or come and visit!

Posted by Alice Lecocq to Dili Institute of Technology, 14th August 2010, 5:35pm

French Australian ?!

I am a French civil engineer with five years experience gained in Australia. I am  working for GHD, an international consultancy company. I gained technical skills in dam engineering, geotechnics and hydraulics as well as professional skills in project management and training others (Certificate IV).
Over the years I developed a passion for working with people, training and mentoring others. I applied for this EWB placement to use my skills to serve a community in need and explore further the opportunities I could take on in engineering and education. I believe that this project has lot of potential to improve the country's wealth empowering students and teachers to take on a leadership role in its development. I am willing to plant the seed of the project as well as getting involved in the community as a resident.

Dili Institute of Technology and Capacity Building Project
DIT is a young private institute that has for objective to form engineers who will be willing and capable of building the infrastructures the country needs to better attend to its people and boost the socio and ecomomico development. The institue offers degrees in Civil and Mechanical Engineering and certificates in Computer Science and Hospitality. The current project is attached to the Civil Engineering Department.
The civil engineering curriculum currently taught at the institute is not meeting international standards and needs to be upgraded to give relevant employment opportunities to the students. DIT is aiming at improving the curriculum working for the next 5 and 6 years with the support of the University of Western Australia (UWA) which is leading a project sponsored by AusAid and supported by EWB.
I am the first EWB volunteer on the project and have for mission to launch and manage the project on the field while UWA lead the project in Australia.
DIT and UWA reviewed the curriculum in the past three years and outlined opportunities for improvement. These include:
a. selecting an international standard and review the current curriculum and associated syllabus to meet the standard
b. up skilling the teachers through mentoring and improved governance
c. developing relationship with the Industry to line up DIT objectives with the Industry needs and practice
d. creating opportunities for practical work and training of the students and initiate them to the Industry.

My mission
I understand that my role consists in setting the framework and dynamics of the project. I am pretty independent on the job and intend to stay relatively flexible to meet as best as I can DIT staff needs.
I project to focus my efforts on the following activities:
a. build relevant relationship with DIT staff to appreciate their main needs and help them to raise their own voice
b. encourage and contribute to the development of external relationships with the Australia based and local stakeholders
c. mentor the teachers for them to improve their technical knowledge and teaching skills
d. contribute to the creation of relevant project work for the students.

Posted 1 Year, 3 Months ago by Robert Collins

Hello Alice,
Robert here, I have been working with a similar project with Don Bosco Comoro and Don Bosco Fatumaca (Baucau), however my field has only been with Metal Fabrication. I have read your review, and can relate to the Teacher issues. Comoro has been fine, but, Fatumaca well, thats the area of Teacher issues that I can relate. As an ex-TAFE teacher, I find working with the Fatumaca School, well, lets just say challenging.
I am living in Baucau at the moment,  I should be back in Dili by the end of November, I would happy to catch up and exchange thoughts and ideas.
My Timor number is 7266471.

Regards
Robert Collins
 

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