Young Professional Forum

Background

The ICOLD Young Engineers’ Forum (YEF) was established in Lucerne in 2011, stemming from extensive discussions on the sustainability of the ICOLD body and the imperative of knowledge transfer to younger engineers.

In 2012, the inaugural SANCOLD YEF was initiated during the annual SANCOLD event. Recognising the diverse roles of young professionals in the dam industry beyond engineering, the forum underwent a name change in 2017, becoming the Young Persons Forum (YPF). This adjustment aimed to encompass not only young engineers but also other vital contributors to the dam sector, including technicians, technologists, scientists, environmentalists, engineering geologists, governmental officials, and dam owners. The reformation of the SANCOLD YPF at the 2017 SANCOLD Conference YPF event resulted in revisions to the SANCOLD Constitution, including the following:

  • Renaming from YEF to YPF;
  • Establishment of a YPF Committee within the existing SANCOLD Management Committee, comprising a chairperson and two additional portfolio members; and
  • Modification of the automatic qualifying age for YPF membership from 35 years to 40 years, with positions on the SANCOLD Management Committee and YPF Committee, as well as prizes and conference discounts, reserved for individuals aged 35 years and younger.

Objective, Mission, and Activities

The core objectives and mission of the SANCOLD YPF are as follows:

  • Encourage the attendance and participation of younger individuals at SANCOLD/ICOLD meeting;
  • Facilitate knowledge transfer to the next generation, ensuring the long-term sustainability of SANCOLD/ICOLD;
  • Foster connections among younger individuals to enable the sharing of experiences;
  • Inspire younger persons to take an active role in SANCOLD to support the objectives nationally and internationally;
  • Provide a platform for discussing strategies for attracting, encouraging, developing, and supporting younger individuals in the dam engineering industry; and
  • Develop formats for devising strategies to support the above objectives and submit them to the SANCOLD Management Committee for acceptance and action.

To maintain an active and dynamic YPF, various events are hosted throughout the year, supplementing the annual SANCOLD Conference. These events encompass:

  • YPF socials and networking events;
  • Webinars featuring presentations by dam specialists;
  • Formal courses and workshops; and
  • Site visits.

We would like to ensure an active and dynamic YPF by hosting a number of events during the year, additional to the annual SANCOLD Conference. These events include:

  • YPF socials and networking events;
  • Short afternoon workshops featuring presentations by dam specialists;
  • Formal courses and workshops; and
  • Site visits.

Contacts

Please follow us on our LinkedIn Page for the latest news and updates on the YPF, as well as events.