EA Matters April 2019 Edition
EA Matters Serving our members and the wider community
April 2019 Edition
Welcome to EA Matters – a newsletter aimed at keeping our volunteers in touch with EA and your chance to share best practice, lessons learned and ideas on how we can better serve our members and the wider community.
Trish White Peter McIntyre National President CEO
Welcome to the first edition of EA Matters Our ‘case study’ focus falls on volunteers’ work in this, our centenary year. in Queensland in the wake of recent floods. As we look back with pride to the achievements of our As always, we also share some of EA’s successes profession over the past 100 years, we acknowledge in the media and our public advocacy as the our volunteers for all they have done in the past – voice of the profession with government. and all you continue to do today. Thank you! In this issue, we explore some of the plans for this very special year.
Trish White Peter McIntyre [email protected] [email protected]
THIS ISSUE
Student and World Engineers graduate Highlights of Update from the Convention engagement our advocacy EA Board EA Matters April 2019 Edition
Ask EA
In each edition of EA Matters engineering workforce planning the Public Affairs team we answer one or two questions in the face of cyclical demand. and Chair of the Transport from Office Bearers. Australia Society, testified We want to collaborate more with before the Australian House Please submit your questions via: local government to understand the of Representatives Standing surveymonkey.com/r/askEA sector’s needs for engineers and Committee on Infrastructure, help to plan ahead. Communities, Transport and Cities’ inquiry particularly regional ones, will not get into automated mass transit. Volunteer question: the infrastructure projects they need, • Position statements such as our I think EA needs to further pursue or pay a higher price for them, if there one on infrastructure here. the infrastructure needs of the are not enough skilled engineers. • Development of rigorous country, particularly those relating The challenge in regional Australia to regional centres and rural. What analysis and our latest example extends beyond upgrading and is available online here. is the Institution’s position on this maintaining existing assets to providing and how does EA promote this? innovative new infrastructure that • Media – you can see examples below. Answer from National President can make cities and towns more Trish White connected, liveable and sustainable. • Submissions to government Engineers should have a key role in inquiries; such as the ones Infrastructure is one of Engineers smart city planning and delivery. you can find here. Australia’s three public policy and advocacy priorities, along with energy Our public policy team has and the role of technology and recently formed an infrastructure industry in a changing global economy. advisory panel (drawn from various infrastructure-related colleges and technical societies) to inform “With infrastructure, its advocacy work, and a new our overarching message position statement that outlines to governments is the key issues for 2019 and beyond is under development. that stable long-term Your comments have been forwarded planning informed by to the advisor managing this work. engineers is essential. ” Engineers Australia promotes its positions via: We recognise the importance of infrastructure to regional communities, • Providing evidence to and have an interest in facilitating the parliamentary committees and inquiries. For example, economic development of regions on 15 February, EA, through through infrastructure planning and
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Case study: Prepared for publicity, strategic in engagement
Contrary to the saying, not all publicity there was no criticism of engineers. For is good publicity. Sometimes it this reason, we stuck to our decision not pays to be strategic in the way we to proactively initiate media contact. choose to enter, or not enter, topical As the voice of the profession, Engineers debates – while being prepared in Australia seeks out strategically case the media approaches. The attractive media opportunities – and Ross River floods in Queensland responds to inquiries, including through earlier this year are a case in point. a Media Manager who is on call 24-7. Working together, EA staff and We attract regular mainstream broadcast members with relevant expertise and newspaper coverage, as summarised quickly created a set of talking points in each edition of this newsletter to address potential queries. If you don’t see our comments on a However, EA decided only to engage in situation where you might expect public debate if it turned on questions to, don’t leap to conclusions – and of engineering, or if the actions of call your division manager to find engineers were called into question. out what’s going on. Remember Why? To do otherwise would run only authorised spokespeople the risk of unnecessarily directing can speak on behalf of EA. public debate towards the adequacy, or otherwise, of engineering when that was not the real issue. While comments were made about the administrative management of the dam, Images: ABC News
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Update from the Engineers Australia Board The seven-member EA Board makes a valuable contribution in terms of leadership and oversight across a wide range of strategic, operational and financial areas.
Where does the Board meet? • Financial oversight, including of the first Board Meeting of the approving budgets year on 1 March in Sydney. The The Board meets regularly in locations strategy day included issues such as: around Australia. Board meetings • Work Health & Safety oversight generally run for about eight hours, • Property and investments • How to improve member and the Directors often attend • Key performance indicators and customer experience divisional events when they are “in • Member and customer research • Potential opportunities to town” – enabling them to stay in touch offer a greater range of with volunteers and issues in different What role does the Board play? membership options areas (but making for very long days). The Board improves strategy to ensure • Typical points of need/ Approximately twice a year, that EA continually provides better want in engineers’ careers they also set aside full days to value to its members, and maintains its and how we can help discuss and agree on strategy. relevance to industry and the broader • The future of CPD community. It also ensures that EA Between Board meetings, • How EA will need to has strategies in place ensure that Directors spend a lot of time in change in future the voice of the profession is heard Board committees, workshops through our advocacy and media work. These discussions will continue over and volunteer events. coming months, with opportunities It oversees the current performance How often do the Board meet? for volunteers to contribute. and financial sustainability of EA The Board will meet eight times in while understanding emerging trends 2019 – exceeding the minimum of five in the profession so that EA can Items on the agenda at the meetings required under our by-laws. be positioned to respond and to subsequent board meeting included: lead the debate as appropriate. The What do the Board talk about? • Half year financial results Board also appoints and monitors • Professional Conduct Board discussions include: the performance of the CEO. Committee Annual Report • Strategy (corporate, or specific What’s been on the agenda lately? • Centenary – update on strategies, e.g. membership, STEM) The EA Board and executive planned activities • Pricing of membership leadership team came together • Advocating for engineers • Audit and risk management recently to discuss strategy, ahead
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In the spotlight Student and graduate engagement
Several initiatives have been Superhero videos take off Engineering summer school success successfully launched recently as part The first in a series ofnew videos to The 20th annual Honeywell of our strategic focus on engaging make young engineers feel proud and Engineering Summer School was the engineers of the future. These inspired to be part of EA’s Frontier held in December. The week-long include a targeted jobs board, videos community for students and graduates residential school provided 100 showcasing young engineers, O week has been viewed almost 500,000 times students from NSW & ACT, who sit university engagement and more. on Facebook in less than two weeks. final exams later this year, a better Early career jobs board up and understanding of what engineering The Frontier-branded videos showcase running is, how it works in everyday life and early career engineers who are “quietly the career opportunities available. EA’s jobs board gives graduate and changing the world” – and pay homage After attending, 80% said they would student members access to internship to popular superhero movies. and graduate positions – and a “absolutely” be applying to study place where our members can post The first video features mechanical engineering! Engineers Australia engineering job advertisements free engineer Darren Lomman, who staff and volunteers collaborate of charge. The board has been created founded Greenbatch, an organisation with ‘engineering’ universities and in partnership with Grad Australia which turns plastic waste into 3D participating Rotary clubs to deliver the to ensure the site is populated with printing filament for schools. event. Congratulations to all involved. quality opportunities from day one. Please share the videos on The board also carries company your social media channels. profiles and stories about the O-week engagement graduates who work there. Advertisements from employers Many thanks to our volunteer who support membership for their student ambassadors, who put our graduates are marked with a special engagement kit for O-week into action badge to help them stand out. at campuses around Australia. The kit, enables students to compete for Please post engineering opportunities prizes in a social media competition for graduate or student engineers on the under the hashtag #takingoffwithEA site, and encourage job seekers to use it.
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World Engineers Convention updates
EA is making good progress towards our co-hosting of the There has been strong interest from potential partners in upcoming World Engineers Convention (WEC) in Melbourne academia and industry, with Liberty, Metro Trains, QUT and in November. Swinburne already signed up. Others are considering the sponsorship options still available. The event has smashed its target for abstracts from people keen to show off their research. More than 600 were With more than 1300 people expected to attend, WEC submitted, over 20% from overseas – with the most popular is an opportunity to build networks with leaders in global theme being how new technology and innovations are engineering practice, to reflect on the legacy of engineering shaping our world. Submissions have now closed all abstracts achievements over the last century, and to define the future have been reviewed and the technical committee has started of engineering disciplines for the next 100 years. on the program matrix. Register for WEC and spread the word EA would like to thank and acknowledge the volunteers with your network! involved in the WEC Local Organising Committee, Technical wec2019.org.au Committee and International Advisory Group.
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Centenary update
For the latest on our centenary celebrations, Dates are being finalised for events EA will keep an eye on 100yearsea.com.au. hold in every division to thank and recognise volunteers – watch this space! There you can see an inspiring video we’ve created about the achievements of engineers under the “Anything is If you know an inspiring or interesting possible” theme – which you can play at your events. volunteer story that can be featured on the website, please contact Belinda Armstrong – The first of our video series on ‘engineering heroes’ has [email protected] also been posted. It features athlete Dylan Alcott and the engineer who custom-designed Dylan's wheelchair. Division staff have access to an event toolkit, including Powerpoint templates, an event script and more to help volunteers deliver centenary events.
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EA news updates
Member renewal for 2018 was a stand-out Everyone deserves a safe and respectful workplace. success, with a retention rate of over 91% If you see anyone acting in a discriminatory, - the best result since 2014/15 – pointing bullying or inappropriate way, please help us by to the continued value offered by EA. calling the person involved into line - or drawing the attention of a more senior member of our team. EA has signed some major credentialing partnerships recently. These include a partnership with KPMG, which will see a further 44 members, 41 Chartered members and 32 EngExecs join KPMG Partners already credentialed in past months. AGL have also formally committed to building a credentialed workforce in a partnership that will introduce over 80 new members and see approximately 50 eligible engineers become credentialled. This is the third credential partnership signed this financial year, following a BMD partnership signed in 2018. Engineers Australia works towards greater diversity and inclusion in our workplace, our profession and the community. As part of that commitment, our workplace is undergoing accreditation by White Ribbon – a structured approach that will help us play our part to address the problem of violence against women. The accreditation process is likely to take 18 months.
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Trish and Peter out and about
EA National President Trish White and CEO Peter McIntyre frequently engage with members, government and industry. Recent events in their diaries include: The COAG Building Ministers Forum Industry Roundtable in Hobart. EA advocates for the adoption of all 24 recommendations of a report the forum commissioned (Building Confidence, also called the Sherwood & Weir report) – including the introduction of a national, uniform registration scheme for engineers and other building practitioners. Peter was photographed at the forum talking to the NSW Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Matt Kean. In NSW, both major parties have agreed to introduce registration if they win the upcoming State election. EA’s International Women’s Day events in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and – for the first time – Perth were a roaring success, with venues sold out. National President Trish White welcomed guests to the events, which featured as keynote speaker mining engineer turned motivationalist Turia Pitt.
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EA in the media
As the voice of the profession, EA works hard to ensure engineering perspectives are included in public debates through the media. See selected highlights of our advocacy here. Engineers Australia was widely quoted in the media in the wake of a dramatic crack in Sydney’s brand new Opal Tower apartments in December, with items carrying EA’s perspective in The Guardian, The Australian, The Australian Financial Review and on ABC Radio and the BBC. The Chair of the Society for Fire Safety Engineering, Jonathan Barnett, was featured in the Canberra Times and The Age, and syndicated through the Nine News network, discussing fire safety issues related to composite building cladding following a building cladding fire in Melbourne. Other media highlights included Public Affairs Manager, Jonathan Russell, featured in the Australian Financial Review following the publication of Engineers Australia’s engineering job vacancies report. Engineers Australia’s policy reports were quoted in The Age newspaper that featured a story on national university graduations and The Australian that quoted Engineers Australia’s analysis of national infrastructure investment. Former Tasmania Division General Manager, Dr Vicki Gardiner, was featured in the Hobart Mercury following the Bridgewater Bridge being conferred an Engineering Heritage marker. The story was also syndicated across several rural news outlets.
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Influencing government
EA continually engages with governments at both federal and state level. See details including recent government submissions, meetings with ministers and more here. EA also has a full federal election campaign ready to roll once the PM reveals the date of the poll. The campaign includes a website that introduces the high level policy issues, digital advertising, videos, a member newsletter, letters to key politicians and media opinion pieces. The aim is to raise awareness – particularly among engineers and politicians – of EA as a valuable participant in public policy issues. Our NSW election campaign focused on the issue of registration for engineers. Both major parties had announced they would introduce registration in some circumstances and Engineers Australia was able to secure a Commitment from the Coalition to begin implementation of a scheme within six months of the March election. In accordance with the commitment that Victorian Labor made to Engineers Australia during its 2018 election, the government there has re-introduced the Engineers Registration Bill. Further debate and passage of the Bill through Parliament will occur in mid-2019. The WA government has also started to speak positively about registration, with contact made with EA to gather information to aid their analysis.
Our recent submissions include: • Regional transport plans for QLD • Automated mass transit • South Australian Government Procurement Inquiry • South Australian Natural Resources and Environment Discussion Paper • NSW school Curriculum Review
The Australian Building Codes Board agreed to delay the introduction of its proposed Fire Safety Verification Method in response to representations from EA about our objections. The EA Society of Fire Safety intends to create a Practice Guide to help engineers understand the method’s practical limitations.
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