Microsoft on Tuesday, 17th of September 2024 trained 38 women compromising 36 female engineers and two journalists on digital manufacturing to equip them with innovative skills for ease of industrial scale production of goods.
The training was part of the Skill Up Lagos Initiatives of the Lagos Chapter of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria, APWEN.
The participants were female engineering undergraduates from nine universities, professional corporate engineers working in various organisations, journalists and young engineers.
The Garage Manager at Microsoft, Nadu Isaac, explained digital manufacturing, its importance, how to explore key digital manufacturing technologies including CAD, 3D Printing, CNC Machining, and Laser Cutting.
He reeled out examples on how digital manufacturing was revolutionising various industries and practical applications in industries with consideration for weather and environment.
Isaac, who is also the Microsoft Innovations Lab Manager took participants through practical demonstrations of computer aided manufacturing and computer aided designs and production of prototypes.
He said the training was to equip participants with skills on how to make use of digital manufacturing equipment in Microsoft.
“We are trying to equip them to know how to design their products and then bring out a finished product which leads to better outputs at the end of the day,” he said.
APWEN Lagos Chairperson, Dr Atinuke Owolabi, thanked Microsoft for the partnership, while appealing to both the Lagos State and Federal Government to support the Association.
“We want to put 3D printers, cutting machine, engraving machines and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) machines there, After today, the skill should not stop here,” she said.
She appealed to the Federal Government to partner with the Association towards developing more digital innovation centres to boost the nation’s manufacturing sector.
Owolabi also called for deliberate government policies that would enable more female engineers to get empowered.
She said engineering graduates and undergraduates could become entrepreneurs using 3D and other tools learnt thereby becoming employers instead of job seekers.
According to her, students from nine universities including University of Lagos, Lagos State University, Covenant University, Bowen University, and Obafemi Awolowo University were in attendance.
An Electrical Electronic Engineering graduate from Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa, Miss Faith Ade-Otoki, said the training was very impactful, adding that, it was an “amazing experience”.
A young engineer from the Drainage Services Department of the Lagos State Public Works Cooperation, Okiki Agbeleye, said she learnt new innovations to improve on her official duties.
Other students of Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Structural, Computer and other engineering arms took turns to design and showcase their finished prototypes and explained their excitements.
