While continuing to meet our members and office bearers around the country, Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew AO was invited to two Government Roundtables ahead of the upcoming Jobs and Skills Summit occurring on 1–2 September 2022.

These important events help inform the relevant Ministers on key issues ahead of the Jobs and Skills Summit. Romilly Madew attended the Manufacturing Roundtable with the Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon Ed Husic MP and the Infrastructure Roundtable with Minister Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Local Government, Catherine King MP.

The roundtables were an opportunity to discuss major infrastructure projects and key skills shortages, of which engineers are a critical focus.

As the world continues to embrace technology and systems become more sophisticated and interdependent, our economy and society is more reliant on the engineering profession.

Points raised during discussions around the engineering profession included ensuring the right skills were available to deliver on the government’s priority areas, that all levels of government should work together to increase Australia’s teaching capability in STEM subjects, increase women’s participation and retention in the profession, support for migrant engineers programs and incentivise Commonwealth contractors to provide graduate programs and internships for engineers through its procurement processes.

To that end, Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew advocates that engineers must have a seat at the government’s table to help deliver on this ambitious agenda and address the dire engineering skills shortage facing the nation.

Pictured: Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon Ed Husic MP (left), Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew AO (middle) and Jens Goennemann Managing Director Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (right).