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One of Australia's goals is to have more
women involved in engineering careers.
Image: iStockphoto

Engineering needs to be regarded as a pivotal career in promoting world amenity and productivity and has to communicate its role.

Engineers Australia sees the challenges facing science and engineering education as requiring:

- Inspiration of our brightest and best to study science and engineering through promotion of the pivotal roles for these professions for our future economy and amenity;

- facilitation of the precursors for success - solid maths and science in secondary education through motivated, qualified and respected teachers;

- participation of women in the engineering team;

- registration of the engineering team through harmonised nation-wide legislation to give the community confidence in engineering capability;

- articulation pathways to allow recognition of skills development and aspirations;

- affiliation between university staff and industry in respecting each others' roles, commissioning research and in shaping course content; and

- inter-generation support, encouragement and transfer of skills.

The backbone of Australia’s 2030 engineering capability – in my view – is now nine years old and living in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, India, China, Malaysia and Singapore. In 2030, I expect that Australia will have a population of 30 million with more than eight million having been born overseas. 

Overseas-trained engineers will be an important component of engineering capability comprising half of our engineers in 2030. Much of our future engineering capability will have multiple qualifications, including Masters in Engineering. 

The relationship with India and China will dominate our economy. The maturing of the urbanisation of China and the one-child policy may see India assume a predominant role in influencing our economic future. 

Australians will continue to see the world as their source of education, entertainment and employment.

Pivotal career

Engineering needs to be regarded as a pivotal career in promoting world amenity and productivity and has to communicate its role in solving the global community’s big challenges. The breadth of the role of engineering and the way that the sector operates in teams needs to be better understood. 

Influence and understanding must commence with pre-primary school students, with the teachers who play a pivotal role being supported with quality resources and linkages to engineering.

Engineers Australia is working to improve understanding and to provide inspiration through the ‘Make It So’ campaign, the Science and Engineering Challenge, EngQuest and the Engineering Excellence Awards. A new award was introduce in 2009, the Engineers Australia Western Australia Division Teachers Award to complement these activities.

It is essential that we promote engineering as an inclusive profession which values, supports and celebrates the contributions of women in the engineering team. 

Engineers Australia is seeking to attract women of all ages to engineering careers, retain women in engineering, support women throughout their engineering careers, celebrate the achievements of women in engineering and encourage women to leadership positions.

Overseas engineers have identified networking as a key activity they value. Universities and industry should consider opportunities to engage with overseas- trained engineers and provide them with networking opportunities.

Engineers Australia supports harmonised ‘Engineers Acts’ across Australia with a key role for the National Engineering Registration Board. Western Australia is moving towards being the next jurisdiction after Queensland to have an ‘Engineers Act’.

Articulation is the process of transferring from one occupational category to another or where an education provider recognises qualifications from other education providers for advanced standing. 

By 2030 we are likely to see more articulation through Masters programs and greater provision of advanced standing from a wide range of education providers.

Articulation within Engineers Australia is within the context of international accords:

- WASHINGTON ACCORD - for 'Professional Engineer' programs. Engineers Australia was  a foundation signatory in 1989;

- SYDNEY ACCORD - for 'Engineering Technologist' programs. Engineers Australia was a foundation 'transitional' signatory in 2001 and currently Deputy Chair of the Accord; and

- DUBLIN ACCORD - for 'Engineering Officer' programs.

Articulation from Engineering Associate to Engineering Technologist typically requires studies equivalent to those required to gain a three-year Bachelor of Technology from an Australian University. Articulation from Engineering Technologist to Professional Engineer typically requires a study-based Masters degree in engineering from an Australian university offering accredited undergraduate engineering programs.

new 3 Rs

Rigour, relevance and relationships are the new 3 Rs in education. It should be routine in 2030 for university professors to be on the boards of major listed companies as it is in now the USA. The relationship between business, schools and universities needs to be strengthened for mutual respect and relevance. 

Engineering pavilions, industry research facilities and technology parks provide the opportunity for linking between industry and universities and improving engineering study retention rates.

In 2030 the well-aged will comprise a significant proportion of the population and it is likely that government incentives will be provided to retain mature employees. 

High-speed broadband will provide the opportunity for virtual mentoring and skills transfer into the workplace and the classroom and universities will create spaces and contexts for interaction between senior staff from industry and students.

By 2030 the landscape will be different to 2009 but will contain common players and infrastructure. 

The actions we take today in influencing children to be inspired to engineering, skilled engineers to remain in the profession and experienced engineers to mentor the next generation will have a massive flow-through effect on engineering capability in 2030.

Chris Fitzhardinge is President of the WA Division of Engineers Australia. He is a civil engineering graduate from the University of WA and has worked across the State on construction and operation of major infrastructure projects as well as promoting regional development. His responsibilities have ranged from running the Ord River Scheme to transforming the Telecentre Network through tripling its size. As CEO of the South West Development Commission he changed the face of the city of Bunbury through securing multi-million dollar funding, negotiating the removal of industrial infrastructure and initiating the Bunbury Harbour City Project.