From academia to industry and back again
Daniel Tarerefa is passionate about all things engineering. Now studying for a Master’s degree in Leeds, UK, he is a committed IET volunteer who continues to make his mark in Nigeria.
In 2015 Daniel embarked on a five-year Bachelor’s degree course in Electrical/Electronics Engineering at Niger Delta University (NDU), Nigeria.
Collaborative IET volunteer
Daniel was introduced to the IET in 2018 by his older brother, who is also an engineer. The following year he set up an IET On Campus group at NDU. He chaired the group from 2018 to 2021, which enabled him to hone his skills as a leader, a manager and a motivator. Driven by the desire to innovate and his innate ability to collaborate, he helped to establish a further seven new On Campus groups in Nigeria.
But that’s not all: Daniel was the prime mover in establishing a global IET Orientation Event, to be held annually. He collaborated with Young Professional Ambassadors from around the world, including in the UK, Austria, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and more. Daniel said: “Our aim was to inform participants about the benefits of IET membership, the professional registration process and the importance of volunteering.”
The inaugural event was hosted online by the On Campus Group at NDU in February 2021. Four months later, the IET On Campus group at the NED University of Engineering & Technology, Pakistan, hosted a further online event. Daniel was a guest speaker.
The NDU team won the quarterly IET On Campus Most Collaborative Event Award twice in 2021, in recognition of its concerted efforts to cooperate with other On Campus groups, share knowledge and work together for the good of the student engineering community.
Inspirational role model
One of the group’s greatest achievements – and one of Daniel’s proudest moments – was hosting the IET@150 Conference at NDU in July 2021.
Daniel said: “The conference theme was ‘Sustainable Engineering: Developing Smart African Cities’. The event had a big impact on the student community at my university and inspired many attendees to become IET members.” Later that year, the group won the Sustainability category in the quarterly IET On Campus Recognition Awards.
Daniel had joined the IET Nigeria Local Network Committee in October 2020. He was appointed as Chair of the IET Nigeria Young Professionals in July 2021 and continues to work hard in this role to promote the IET, increase membership in Nigeria and engage with fellow Young Professionals around the world. He is a truly inspirational role model for students and Young Professionals alike.
From academia to employment
Daniel’s final-year project involved developing a smart electricity meter that enables users to monitor energy consumption from anywhere in the world. In July 2021 he was awarded a first-class degree with honours.
He started a year’s national service in November 2021, working full time as an electrical engineer in the Technical Department of Nasco Foods Nigeria Limited.
On completing his 12 months’ service, Daniel was all fired up and ready to go, describing himself as “optimistic about the future and keen to maximise all opportunities”. At the start of 2023 he joined The Offshore Lab Ltd in Lagos State, where he worked for eight months as a graduate engineer on projects ranging from training to procurement.
Back to student life
Hungry to learn more and with a Bayelsa State government scholarship safely under his belt, in September 2023 Daniel travelled to the UK and enrolled in a one-year Master’s degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Leeds.
As Chair of Nigeria’s Young Professionals, he remains very involved with the IET and ensures he maintains strong links with the engineering community back home. He has also joined the IET West Yorkshire Local Network, to continue volunteering while in the UK. This commitment reflects Daniel’s gratitude for the support he has received: “The IET has helped me a lot by connecting me to mentors who have guided me during the different phases of my career.
What’s next for Daniel? Well, as you’d expect, he’s aiming high: “Once I complete my studies, the next step for me professionally will be to learn and contribute as much as I can within the industry. I hope to be a chartered engineer in the coming years and am ready to take on global opportunities to advance my career.”