Young Brazilian engineers got a boost to their geosynthetics education by taking part in the IGS Job Shadowing Program.

IGS Brazil has been particularly active in facilitating work placement opportunities for its Young Members since the scheme launched in 2022.

Funded by the IGS Foundation (IGSF), the initiative aims at providing IGS student members with on-the-job opportunities while offering IGS Corporate members access to fresh talent and new perspectives.

In the latest opportunity, four IGS Brazil Young Members took part in work experience with four separate companies. The projects were wide-ranging.

• Karolina Maria dos Santos, of the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), was hosted by Tech Ground. Here she observed geomembrane projects at an irrigation pond and canal.

"The Tech Ground collaborators and the installation team not only presented the particularities involved in the production of the material and the practical installation process of the geomembranes, but they also showed me the practical work on a project, which goes beyond technical applications and involves preparation, care, and people management, along with the experiences gained over the years working in the field," she said.

• Ramon Felipe dos Santos, also of UFSCar, experienced first-hand the manufacturing process of geomembranes with company Grupo Nortène, from the raw materials used to applications and quality control.

Ramon said: "As a professional in development and constant evolution, having an experience like this was of utmost importance, as aligning theory and practice is not always easy. In addition to being an extremely rewarding and enriching experience, this immersion further solidified my technical perceptions about geosynthetics."

• Fellow UFSCar student Débora Toledo Vieira da Silva spent time with business Bidim Wavin, where she learnt more about the manufacturing and testing of nonwoven geotextiles.

"Seeing the polymer injection, needling, and all the details involved up close was very interesting. Although I had studied this process in classes and books, seeing it in person made everything much clearer and more understandable," she said.

"It was an enriching experience that highlighted the crucial role geosynthetics play in infrastructure and civil construction projects."

• Márcio Emannuel Oliveira, from the Federal University of Bahia, visited TDM Brazil, learning more about a mine decommissioning project which used geocells, geotextiles, geogrids, geopipes and geocomposites.

He said: "Participating in the IGS Job Shadowing Program was essential for my professional development as a geotechnical engineer. Besides learning more about the various uses that geosynthetics can offer, especially in improving project performance, I was also able to gain practical operational experience, combining the concepts acquired in academia with the real challenges of engineering."

Viviana Mangraviti, newly appointed chair of the IGS Young Members Committee, said: "We can see from the students' feedback what an impactful experience they all had and what the Program will mean to their ongoing learning. It is one of the most important activities for the IGS Young Members Committee to advance as it creates those essential connections between students and industry, and I'd urge more Chapters to get involved.

"I'd also like to thank the IGS Foundation for funding these placements, and the generous donors that see the value of giving something back to their industry."

Learn more about IGS Job Shadowing opportunities here and how your Chapter can get involved.

Support young engineers by donating now via the Foundation website's Donation page here.

If you would like to make a request for IGSF funding for a project or initiative, click here.