Erik attained a Masters degree in Engineering (Agricultural Engineering) in South Africa in 1981. He completed an MBA in 1997 through part time study. He is a certified Professional Engineer.

Following emigration to Australia in February 2003 he worked on short term contracts with the BSES and CSIRO before being appointed to the NCEA in September 2003 as business development manager. A summary of previous work experience is given below:

January 1995 - January 2003
South African Sugar Association - Head of Agricultural Engineering

Responsible for planning, coordination and management of research and development projects undertaken on behalf of the SA Sugar Industry. Projects were contracted out to other agencies and also undertaken in house by research and technical staff. Responsibilities included administrative management, strategic planning of research programmes, developing relationships with research partners, negotiation and administration of research contracts with collaborators, provision of consulting services, lecturing and presentations to diverse stakeholder groups, negotiations with government on framing and application of legislation in water usage.

Key research areas included water resources and irrigation, mapping and information systems and mechanized sugarcane farming systems

June 1989 - January 1995
Hill Kaplan Scott Inc. (Natal) Consulting Engineers

Erik was Associate and office manager for a firm of consulting engineers in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa during this period. Projects were primarily in the field of flood management, water resource planning, and environment impact assessment (particularly hydrological, agricultural and forestry impacts, sediment and erosion control, traffic and noise impacts and landfill waste management).

January 1985 - June 1989
Senior Research Fellow - University of Natal (Department of Agricultural Engineering)

During this period Erik was contracted by the Water Research Commission of South Africa to conduct research projects in the water field. He was responsible for lecturing under and postgraduate hydrology and engineering students and undertook various specialist-consulting projects in water resource including design runoff determination, water resources analysis and statistical analysis of hydrological data.

January 1982 - January 1985
Agricultural Engineer : Government Directorate Agricultural Engineering and Water Supply

Erik was employed by the SA government and undertook a range of projects covering; design of soil conservation and irrigation structures, earth dams, weirs, chutes and runoff control planning; water resource evaluation for irrigation dams; flood line determination; road drainage and stormwater control; installation and evaluation of ventilation systems for piggeries; waste management for intensive animal production houses.