Newcastle/Sydney Collaboration of YoRET
Engineers Australia Newcastle and Sydney Divisions have come together to form a coordination committee for YoRET. The committee will be working with our kindred organisations IPWEA and AWA to arrange and promote activities to celebrate the YoRET.
Representatives of the committee met at the Hawkesbury River on 29 February to discuss ideas and launch the collaboration. Some points of discussion were: better ways to engage with politicians; having a 'collective' or joint NSW response to government issues; collaborative approach to events ; how best to provide CPD to Regional Engineers; engagement with other engineering bodies.
The Committee members are:
- Chair Brendyn Williams President Sydney Division
- Ron Banerjee President Newcastle Division
- Stewart McLeod Chair Dubbo Regional Group & YoRET SIG representative
- Greg Mashiah Chair YoRET Special Interest Group & Chair Northern Rivers Regional Group
- Murray Thompson Mid North Coast Regional Group
- Annalisa Contos Sydney Division
- Jill Kilby Dubbo Regional Group
Aims of YoRET
Regional Engineering Team members comprise more than 15% of the Engineers Australia membership, and the Year of the Regional Engineering Team (YORET) provides an opportunity for Engineers Australia to recognise and celebrate the contribution of these members with the theme "Regional Engineering: The Heart of Australia". Mainly due to the vast distances in rural Australia, Regional Engineering Team members have difficulty in accessing the full range of benefits available to Engineers Australia members based in city areas. The YORET aims to:
1. improve access to CPD for regionally based members,
2. increase awareness of engineering opportunities in regional areas,
3. promote equity for all members of Engineers Australia and;
4. generate an understanding of the value of the regional engineering team.
