Gamilaraay man Russell Reid speaks to Engineers Australia about the importance of reconciliation in engineering and wider society. Russell is Senior Aboriginal Affairs and Participation Consultant at WSP. WSP is an employer partner of Engineers Australia. Russell reflects on the meaning of the theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023, ‘be a voice for generations’. He highlights how engineering organisations can better embrace reconciliation and support First Nations engineers in the workplace.
Read our Q&A with Russell below.
The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023 is, Be a Voice for Generations, how do you see this in a practical sense?
A voice for generations means to me that as we plan our lives and work, we think of the legacy that we are obliged to leave the next generation, is it a positive legacy that will assist future generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
What are your reflections in Reconciliation Week? Have we made meaningful steps towards reconciliation as a nation?
Reconciliation Week has given Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the opportunity to access different industries that hold a Reconciliation Action Plan. It has also allowed business and individuals to break into a career away from the old norms such as health, education, legal and medical.
We have made tiny inroads, but Australia as a whole will need to do some more homework on the plight of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and try to look past their own personal bias.
What are some of the tangible ways all of us can recognise reconciliation?
Education is a good start. For example, asking questions such as do you know what First Nations Language group you live in? Have you met an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person and truly listened without judgement? If people don’t understand where we come from surely, they wouldn’t understand where we are heading in the future.
How can organisations better support First Nations engineers to have a voice in the workplace?
By understanding that First Nations engineers have been around for thousands of years, and yes we do some things differently than others may. We have all been on a long journey and some of those journeys have been harder than most people realise.
Are there any examples of great programs or processes that support First Nations engineers that you would like to highlight?
At present there is planning for a whole of career engineering path starting with DEADLY CODERS. We then have lobbied support through various universities for young engineers to complete their studies through this sponsorship and mentoring.
I attended a forum involving Indigenous Engineers Australia where young people can come together to support each other. WSP has also recently given a scholarship to a university to assist young women in engineering.
You can learn more about National Reconciliation Week and the importance for all Australians to use their power, their words and their actions to create a better, more just Australia for all of us on the National Reconciliation Week website.