Welcome to Engineers Australia Portal

2014 – A year of Transformation, and Looking Ahead to 2015 Wednesday, 10 December 2014

2014 has been a year of transformation within our division.

Engineers Australia is the professional organisation for engineers. Formed in 1919, and constituted under Royal Charter, our purpose and mission is to advance the science and practice of engineering for the benefit of the community.

In this, the final President’s Message for 2014, I shall reflect upon the changes during 2014, our achievements, and the broader profession. I shall also highlight initiatives we can look forward to in 2015.

Engineers Australia

Engineers play a critical role in our community and in shaping a sustainable future. Engineering is a key driver for increasing living standards and quality of life.

Engineers Australia ensures that the high standards of the profession are maintained through accreditation of universities degree programs and assessment of chartered status. Chartered membership of Engineers Australia signifies highly skilled professionals who adhere to the highest professional standards in this country.

Engineers Australia is a strong professional body. In Australia, we are fortunate in that we have one organisation, Engineers Australia, the peak professional body, for all engineers, all disciplines, we can come together as one voice. Engineers Australia has more than 100,000 members, of whom 26% live in the state of New South Wales.

History and Proud Tradition

As an interesting piece of trivia for our readers… The Sydney Division of Engineers Australia has historical roots going back to 1870, more than 140 years ago when the Engineering Association of NSW was formed. Its members included J.J.C. Bradfield, the engineer, whose name is synonymous with the Sydney Harbour Bridge which he designed and built. Fifty years after it began, members of the Engineering Association of NSW, including John Bradfield, were leaders in the formation of our national institution, we now know as Engineers Australia. This was in 1919.

This year our Division has recognised anniversaries of two great engineering achievements – 50 years since completion of the Gladesville Bridge and 40 years since work ended on the Snowy Mountains Scheme. This year, the Gladesville Bridge was recognised with the awarding of an Engineering Heritage International Marker. The Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Per head of population, the Snowy Mountains Scheme is the largest engineering and construction project ever undertaken in Australia.

Division Highlights of 2014

2014 has been a year of transformation within our division. Seven highlights include the following:

1. Membership

The division had a strong year for membership growth. During 2013-14 membership grew to 22,600, an increase of 600 in 12 months. It is important for the future, that our growth in student membership has been especially strong. In 2013-14, we welcomed 94 new Fellows and 292 members who gained Chartered status.

2. Professional Standards and Learned Society

Our colleges and groups are the backbone of our learned society function. Groups have a key role in developing engineering practice, providing networking opportunities, leading community outreach and in facilitating continuous professional development. In Sydney Division, we have strong engagement: across the 34 groups in our division, we have 270 office bearers, contributing 7,000 volunteer hours per annum. We implemented new office bearer induction processes in 2014, and our Board of Engineering Practice (BoEP) continues to be a forum for strategic and practical discussion of learned society function.

The division delivered activities offering 252 hours of continuous professional development (CPD) throughout New South Wales, with 8262 people attending, a combined attendance of more than 10,000 CPD hours delivered to members.

Our events, activities and CPD are supported through prominent speakers and supporters, including NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer Professor Mary O’Kane, CEO Freelancer Matt Barrie, Universities, CEOs of engineering firms, and NSW Members of Parliament.

Through the support of NSW Trade and Investment, we secured a new venue in Sydney CBD.

Some groups continue to attract 200 attendees to events - Young Engineers, Women in Engineering, Civil/Structural Group, Centre for Engineering Leadership and Management and Nuclear Panel.

Sydney Division covers most of the geographical area of New South Wales. I enjoyed visiting the regions for the President’s Regional visits. We have strengthened our support for regional members in 2014. Six of our groups are in regional areas. These groups are active and engaged. Highlights in 2014 included the inaugural Regional Fellows Luncheon, an event which shall now be on the annual calendar. The Division held the NSW Regional Convention in Wollongong, the first such event in Sydney for fifteen years, and shall now be on an alternate 2 year cycle with Newcastle Division. Both events attracted TV, radio and newspaper coverage. The September Chartered regional road trip delivered CPEng workshops to seven regional areas in NSW.

We are embracing new technologies as part of our transformation. There is high engagement with online communications, with the President’s Message being a monthly highlight. Video conferencing has been welcomed by groups. There is a warm response to two new platforms released in 2014 by Engineers Australia - Engineering Online (EOL) for continuous professional development, and EA Connect for student and graduate recruitment.

3. Voice of the Profession

In 2014, we initiated new approaches to raise the profile as ‘voice’ of the profession. In 2014 Sydney Division created and implemented a new external communications strategy for raising our profile and deepening strategic relations in media, government and community.

In media, early successes have included radio, TV, newspapers and social media.

During 2014 we established a new strategic approach for working with NSW Government, including targeted meetings to develop mutually beneficial relationships held with:

NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer (NSW Trade and Investment)
NSW Public Works
NSW RMS
Transport for NSW
NSW Education and Communities
NSW Resources and Energy

Topics discussed include infrastructure, employment, education, sustainability and innovation. The document Government as an informed buyer continues to be a valuable resource in our discussion with the various NSW departments

We also met with organisations including Consult Australia, ATSE, and six universities to discuss how we can work together in mutually beneficial ways.

It is important for division to engage with the senior leaders and decision makers of our profession. Engagement and networking with the senior members of our profession included the CELM CEO Breakfast (now in its third year), the three Fellows Luncheons held each year, PDP program partner engagements, and the annual Education Forum.

We engaged with the community through Australian Engineering Week (AEW) in August. The event has grown in our Division –AEW 2014 delivered 27 events with 1226 attendees. The Harrick’s Address by engineering entrepreneur of the year, Matt Barrie, was a standout. Our Facebook “likes” during AEW were the highest across all divisions. Due to the success of our accompanying media campaign, the month of August 2014 had the highest ever rating in terms of media profile for Engineers Australia nationally.

For a sustainable future, we need to develop the next generation, with a range of approaches. Our schools programs provided opportunities for 1,200 students for active participation in Discover Engineering activities in Sydney, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong. Our Engineering Summer School currently in its 27^th year, focuses on regional students and targets a minimum of 20% female students. The Autumn school of engineering is in its fourth year and targets Sydney metropolitan students. The Engineering & Science Challenge is embraced by our regional groups, in areas including Dubbo, Mittagong and Goulburn, and attended by 1,000 students. As part of our external relations strategy, in 2014 we began working in new ways with the NSW Department of Education – we agreed plans for working together to achieve beneficial outcomes for teachers, students and communities regarding STEM education.

Engineers from Sydney and NSW provide leadership on the world stage, with a proud history of achievement and innovation. The Engineering Excellence Awards Program has run in Sydney Division for 29 years to build links with industry and promote engineering excellence. In 2014, there has been increases sponsorship, number of entries, and attendees at Awards dinner. More than 540 people attended the Awards evening in September. The year-long program of events in the excellence awards is part of our engagement with industry, government, universities, and with key decision makers. The year-long showcase at the Powerhouse Museum, visited by 500,000 people per year, promotes engineering excellence to schools and the community.

In our globally connected world, engineering professionals and firms have global connections. We have an international orientation and Sydney remains a popular destination for visiting groups from overseas. During 2014, the division has hosted visits of visiting parties from around the world, including India, China, Sri Lanka, UK and USA.

Technology has the power to transform. Engineers from New South Wales are at the leading edge of this transformation, the creators of innovations used all around the world, including Wi-Fi technology, the global hit LEGO movie, Google maps, Freelancer, robotic technologies, sleep treatment products, sustainable materials technologies, and solar technologies. We enter a new era based in which rapid changes in technology bring innovation and entrepreneurship to the fore. Our new committee on Innovation and Entrepreneurship has been planning the inaugural Innovation workshop, skills development, to be held in February 2015.

At a national level, Convention 2014 was the landmark event. Held in November it brought together the profession and decision makers.

In November at Convention 2014, Engineers Australia released a new Climate Change Policy and Sustainability Policy. In December, the Engineers Australia document Energy Security for Australia, was launched at National Parliament House in December, and our division is already using this document in our discussions with NSW resources and energy.

4. Recognising outstanding engineering achievements

Congratulations to entries from Sydney Division which won three major national awards at the Australian Engineering Excellence Awards, announced this month –

2014 Sir William Hudson Award (the highest award for an engineering project that Engineers Australia confers) - Fibre Optic Manometry – a 21^st Century Approach to In-Vivo Diagnostics, CSIRO with joint entrants Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre, and Griffith University.
2014 Professional Engineer of the Year, Dr Robert Care AM FIEAust CPEng EngExec
2014 President’s Award, Dr Bronwyn Evans FIEAust CPEng EngExec

5. Recognising outstanding volunteer service by office bearers

The Engineers Australia medal is the highest award that the Division can bestow in recognition of the volunteers. In 2014, the Engineers Australia Medal is awarded to Nick Di Bono, Dr Tom Romberg and Doug Roser in recognition of their outstanding service to the profession.

Engineers Australia cannot achieve what it does without the volunteers who do so much to promote the profession of engineering and the benefits engineers deliver. In Sydney Division, across the 34 groups in our division, we have 270 volunteer office bearers. Our Board of Engineering Practice (BoEP) and Regional Chairs Committee continue to be forums for our senior office bearers to meet and discuss. Other members volunteer in our schools programs, in assessments and as judges.

We recognised six members of the Sydney Division Committee who finish their terms at the end of 2014, many of whom have also held other senior office bearer roles: John Nichols (President 2013), John Stornelli (Deputy President 2014), Norm Himsley (President 2005), Hannah Mahony-Hayes (Chair Young Engineers Australia Sydney 2013), Marcus Moore and Veena Sahajwalla.

6. Diversity

We have a strong future through our young engineers. More than 50% of our division members are young engineers under the age of 35, and our young engineers group is very active.

Our special interest groups play an important role - Women in Engineering, Regional Engineers, Centre for Engineering Leadership and Management, Engineering Heritage and Engineering Associates and Engineering Technologists.

Sydney Division Committee 2014 has a diverse composition: 38% female, 15% regional members, and 15% young engineers under 35.

We have now elected and appointed members for 2015: Sydney Division Committee 2015 shall also have a diverse composition: 38% female, 15% regional members, and 23% young engineers under 35.

7. Governance

In 2014, Division Committee was restructured, to be more strategic and more focused. We gave new attention to governance, sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship, and to building capability. The Division Committee has now built a strong foundation upon which we can continue to grow.

Looking ahead

At Engineers Australia, we have much to look forward to in 2015…

In early 2015 we have membership ballot 2015. The proposed reforms are supported by National Council and by National Congress. They shall make our governance more contemporary, open up opportunities to the broader membership and reduce the organisation’s exposure to risk. This is an important ballot and I encourage members to engage with the discussion and to vote.

https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/ballot2015/

The Board of Engineering Practice (BoEP) shall change its name to Learned Society Advisory Committee (LSAC) on 1st January 2015. The terms of reference shall remain the same; this is only a change in name.

Work done throughout 2014 has set a sound platform for focus on Innovation and Entrepreneurship; a new program shall be announced early 2015, with the first workshop to be held in February 2015.

On 1^st January 2015, we commence the new Engineers Australia’s College of Leadership and Management with the shortened name being the “Leadership College”.

More information shall be available shortly.

Preparations are in place for a new Transport Technical Society (TTS) to cover the area of transport across all EA colleges and disciplines, commencing operations 1July 2015. Interested people within NSW are encouraged to contact Richard Hanna [email protected] to register their interest.

Thank you - A team effort

Thank you to our sponsors, supporters and PDP companies for your ongoing generosity and support during 2014. On behalf of Engineers Australia, Sydney Division, I thank all of our sponsors and PDP partners for their support, and their investment in the future of Engineering.

Congratulations to the team. Our strong results and achievements during 2014 were attained through the hard work and dedication of volunteer office bearers and staff working together. I thank our 270 dedicated office bearers and other volunteers for their commitment and dedication to serve the profession and community.

I especially thank Steve Finlay, General Manager, and our Division staff for their wonderful support during 2014, a year of transformation.

I thank you for the privilege and honour of serving as 2014 President. The division covers Australia’s largest city, Sydney, as well as most of the geographical area of NSW. I wish the 2015 Committee the very best as they continue to serve our members, the profession and the community.

Alexandra Meldrum FIEAust CPEng FIChemE FAICD
President, Engineers Australia Sydney Division

References and Further reading

1. Sydney Division:

Engineers Australia Sydney Division: www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sydney-division

2014 Annual Review, Engineers Australia Sydney Division: http://issuu.com/engineersaustralia/docs/engineers_australia_annual_report_2

2. Engineers Australia Strategic Priorities 2014-15 to 2016-17

http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/shado/About%20Us/sp14_strategic_priorities_2014-2017_full_-_web.pdf

3. Engineers Australia Member Services - New Digital Services in 2014

Engineering online (EOL)

EOL provides online professional development for engineers: www.engineeringonline.com

EAConnect:

EA Connect is an exclusive website for student and graduate members to find work placement opportunities suited to their level: