The engineering workforce is critical to securing Australia's future

Engineers Australia says that whatever the outcome of the upcoming federal election, the next federal government needs to prioritise real action on developing Australia’s engineering workforce if it is to secure Australia’s economic future and overcome obstacles to delivering national priorities for infrastructure, energy and manufacturing.

Australia’s peak engineering professional body, representing more than 130,000 members, is also asking all candidates to commit to strengthening the engineering workforce and to take effective and immediate action towards bringing greater diversity and inclusion to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew said the nation’s engineering capability is facing workforce challenges, and government holds the keys to doing so much more in areas such as education to attract Australians currently deterred by significant barriers to entry.

“Australia’s future economic prosperity will depend on a skilled and diversified workforce with strong engineering capabilities, to support the energy transition to net zero, the delivery of critical infrastructure, and the revolution of AI and robotics improving productivity,” she said. “But just 16% of qualified engineers and 19% of engineering graduates in Australia are women. More needs to be done to dismantle the barriers that exist and encourage more people into the profession.”

Engineers Australia Acting Chief Engineer Bernadette Foley said many of Australia’s skilled migrant engineers are also facing unnecessary barriers to employment.

“We are under-utilising talented engineers who bring experience and expertise from overseas. Some of them wind up as Uber drivers or baristas when they can’t secure a job commensurate with their engineering expertise,” she said. “Meanwhile, critical projects are demanding engineering skills. With concerted and imaginative support, government and industry can unlock the talent that will drive Australia forward so we can shine in a competitive global marketplace.”

In April, Engineers Australia will launch its ‘Engineering Tomorrow’ report along with its key election priorities, including that the Australian Government respond in full to the 2024 Pathways to Diversity in STEM report and implement its recommendations for stable and sustainable action to increase diversity and inclusion in STEM.

“With a federal election campaign now underway, Engineers Australia is seeking commitment from all candidates that the next federal government must deliver the policies required to take these from recommendations to reality,” Madew said. “The policy settings need to encourage more people to join today’s engineering workforce, and stay in it, so we can build a better Australia for tomorrow with an engineering profession that is as diverse as the communities it serves.”

Image credit: iStock.com/LOUISE BEAUMONT