Leaders of Victoria’s engineering industry were inducted as the newest Fellow and Engineering Executive members of Engineers Australia at an exclusive recognition ceremony last month.
To be awarded Fellow membership or Engineering Executive status demonstrates that an engineer has reached the pinnacle of the profession and is highly revered among his or her peers.
During this invitation-only event, guests were challenged by Engineers Australia National President, John McIntosh FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer on the legacy of their leadership.
Mr McIntosh said the legacy of being an engineering leader is the manner in which your influence lives on in others.
“Many of us, when we first began work as an engineer, would have been influenced in one way or another, by a senior member of our team or the organisation for which we worked”, Mr McIntosh said.
“The power and influence of that person on who you are today can never be understated.”
Emerging leaders of the next generation also need this support. Mr McIntosh encouraged the inductees to reflect on their wealth of talent and experience and how they can leverage this to inspire and support the next generation.
Mr McIntosh’s call-to-arms to leaders of the profession was to use their considerable reach to remove a stone from the path of a young engineer.
“One of the many ways you can help is by making yourself available to meet a young member; have a coffee, and impart some of your knowledge or the passion that has driven you in your career,” he said.
“We may never know what the impact of a conversation, over a cup of coffee, might have on the people who will fill our shoes in years to come.
“One thing I can be certain of is that your words, spoken from the heart, will never be wasted on the ears of those thirsty for knowledge.”
Mr McIntosh’s address was followed by a keynote from the Secretary of the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Richard Bolt FIEAust.
Mr Bolt said leadership is about ensuring everyone has the opportunity to be heard and then acting on the best advice given.
He discussed the importance of leaders seeking truthful and honest advice, and getting the ‘warts and all’ details, to then be able to give the right advice.
Speaking on gender equality in the engineering profession, Mr Bolt said that there is no right or wrong in how we get there, we just need to get on and do it.
Engineers Australia, Victoria Division typically honours its newest Fellow and Engineering Executive members at invitation only recognition ceremonies twice a year.
Attending the recognition event gives the opportunity for members to be acknowledged for their significant contribution to the engineering profession and network with fellow leaders in the community.
Image: Engineers Australia National President, John McIntosh FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer addressing the audience at the Fellow and Engineering Executive Recognition Ceremony, May 2017.