Engineers rise to the challenge

In a time of acute skills shortages, Australia's consulting engineers are working hard to ensure the future of both Australia and the industry by developing innovative business diversity, building educational projects, ensuring a career for engineering graduates, creating opportune partnerships and using DIMA's immigration program.

Senator Amanda Vanstone, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, paid tribute to engineering professionals for their value to both individual enterprises and the nation.

Speaking about the shortage of consulting engineers in Australia, Vanstone said, "We're doing all that we can to assist in that regard because if professions that use engineers have got the right number they can continue to grow and expand and secure the jobs of all the Australians who are in that business.

"Engineering professions are great users of the 457 visa, the temporary work entry visa. The consulting engineering industry understands its practical application and the sensible way it's been designed. It does allow the business community to recognise their own need and for us to cater to that need and to do so quickly."

ACEA chief executive, Megan Motto said the industry appreciated the federal government's sympathetic approach and assistance in seeking more engineers from overseas to fulfil the demands of member firms' large infrastructure projects.

"However, this is only part of the solution and we now need to focus on a longer-term strategy to encourage students to work towards a career in engineering.

"The industry is encouraged by the quality of recent educational programs and presented several awards to students and future industry leaders who have shown entrepreneurial flair, as well as a number of engineering professionals who have made a significant contribution to the industry," Motto said.

Motto said the standard of entries in the 2006 ACEA Awards for Excellence was exceptionally high as firms rose to meet the challenges currently facing the industry.

"In response to the market's growing need for a "˜one-stop shop' solution to major projects, consulting engineering firms are becoming increasingly diverse with many providing a mix of traditional engineering and related services such as architecture, social science, financial and strategic planning and environmental science.

"Engineering firms are increasingly forming alliances with other firms and clients to provide genuine opportunities for innovation and the sharing of risks and rewards. The Lawrence Hargrave Drive Upgrade south of Sydney, a partnership between Coffey Geotechnics and Maunsell, was presented with the Project of the Year Award as well as two Gold Awards of Merit."