ESME prepared two trainings and an educational tour to execute its activities in accordance to the plans formulated and approved by its Board of Management. The trainings were prepared for members and non-members of the Society and the tour was, for members only.

The first of the trainings was the one prepared on Procurement of Engineering Equipment and held on April 6 and 7, 2005. The 25 participants who took part in the training came from various enterprises, public and government. The training was given by Ato Abebe Girmay, Ato Mulugeta Araya and Ato Mulugeta Adamu

The second training was prepared on Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance Management and Specification Preparation. It was a six-day training that began on Monday, 6th of June and ended on Saturday, 11 June, 2005. There were 39 individuals who took part in the training. Most of them came from private enterprises.

During the training, lectures were given by well-noted trainers; namely, Engineer Afework Bezabeh, Equipment Supply Division Manager, Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA), Engineer Fekadu Mengistu, Assistant Product Support Manager, Ries Engineering Sh.Co. and Vice President of ESME and Dr. Ing. Demiss Alemu of A.A.U. Faculty of Technology (N.C.), Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Engineer Afework Bezabeh’s lectures dealt with Equipment Specification Preparation. He touched all the areas of his topic including purchasing, tender preparation, bid evaluation and gave piecemeal on Engineering fundamentals, types of Engines, filtration, oil analysis, oil classification etc. and based his lectures on Road Construction Machines. His lectures covered 30.4 % of the actual lecture time.

The core of the training and lectures given by Ato Fekadu Mengistu concentrated on Equipment Maintenance. It was supported by visit to workshop and laboratory of Ries Engineering Sh.Co. His lectures covered 25.3% of the planned lecture time. The other lecturer who covered 44.3% of allotted lecture time was Dr. Ing. Demiss Alemu. His lectures dealt with workshop organization. PM planning Maintenance Workflow, Maintenance Control, PM system Implementation and Spare parts Management.

Each participant received thick spiral bound training manuscripts prepared by each instructor on their respective areas of training. Both trainings were given at the Training Center of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, Kaliti.

Participants were served with delicious dishes for their lunch and soft drinks, of course. They were served hot drinks to stimulate them during tea breaks. The first training was opened by Ato Ahmed A. Sherief ESME’s President and the second training by Ato Fekadu Mengistu, Vice President of ESME. Both gave warm well comings to the trainees during the openings held in the mornings of the first opening days. In their concise speech both of them stated that the trainings were held in line with the objectives of the Society and accomplished according to the stated plans of the activities of the Society. They assured the participants that at the end of the day they would go home equipped with new technical knowledge and know-hows essential to execute their works. Each participant was awarded with a Certificate of Participation.

ESME gives trainings to members and non-members to disseminate scientific knowledge and technical know-how in the fields of Mechanical Engineering and related areas.

B) EDUCATIONAL TOUR

ESME prepared Educational Tour for its members that took place on Friday May 27, 2005. The educational trip was made to Metahara Sugar Factory. There were about 18 ESME tourists aboard the bus that left Addis Ababa at about 7:20 and arrived at Metahara at about 11:00 a.m. On arrival the guests were welcomed by their host, Ato Sufian Ibrahim, General Manager of the factory who delivered a short welcoming speech right at the spot. Soon the touring members were grouped into four and each group received a guide from the hosting firm to take them around and explain them all they have to know about the factory.

The tour started with a visit to the 10,000 hectare farm of Sugar Cane Plantation.

II. The Technical Sessions

On coming back from the farm field, the touring team had to seat at a table for lunch - and essential timely meal served by the factory.

In the afternoon of the same day, a staff member of the factory presented a paper explaining on the success of Metahara Sugar Factory to qualify for ISO 9000/9001 during the fiscal year 1997 E.C. The presenter gave detailed explanations concerning the good jobs executed by the management of the factory to qualify for ISO Certification.

At the end, the president of the Society, Ato Ahmed A.Sherief congratulated the factory and the management for their efforts to qualify for ISO certification which he regarded as a pride, both for the factory and the country.

The lunch break and paper presentation was followed by a visit to the plant and its manufacturing process, from the big rolls at the sugar cane feedings all the way through to the final stage i.e. finishing packing, sewing. Beyond doubt, the visit might have reminded the visiting engineers, the application of thermodynamics, power plant, heat and mass transfer, the strong and the weak sides of students life and perhaps, the grades obtained in these courses - passed and gone!

The team stayed the night in the beautiful town of Metahara with an altitude of 940m above sea - level.

On Saturday, May 28,2005 the touring team bade farewell Metahara and the Sugar Factory to leave for Addis Ababa - a193 km journey back home.