Young Engineers Australia - Victoria, DASCEM / Coffey International YEAV Trivia Night

20 20 breakfast – the future of engineering

Date: 29th March 2007
Venue: Zinc – Federation Square

As the next generation of Engineers enters a rapidly changing industry, many topics are currently being widely discussed amongst the profession. Until now, issues such as climate change, future energy usage and the increase in both the volume of work and international engineers were merely background noise. It seems the next generation of engineers are not only ensuring these issues are raised, they are demanding the profession take a stronger stand and solutions are actively sought.

This is evidenced in particular by the large contingent of young engineers at the recent EA members information breakfast – ‘2020, the future of engineering.’ Not only did a number of young engineers attend the event, two highly regarded young engineers participated in a high profile panel who discussed and debated the priorities and uncertainties of engineering in Australia.

Rebecca Russell, (past Chair of YEA) and Danny Almagor, (founder of Engineers Without Borders), joined Peter Godfrey (EA National Council), Paul Dugas (SKM), John Mullen (John Mullen Partners) and Jannie VanDeventer (Dean of Engineering - Uni. of Melb.) The panel reviewed the potential requirements for changes in engineering and engineers, the roles we will play in future issues such as sustainability, aid response and how we will be better educated to undertake such tasks.

Discussions typically centered on education requirements to better equip engineers to take the lead on issues in both managerial roles and technical roles. The importance of consultancies demonstrating sustainable design and potential for taking the lead by becoming carbon neutral were highlighted with examples of how engineers are best positioned to act on social and environmental issues.

The debate was well teamed with a number of questions from the audience and a delicious sit down breakfast of muffins, fruit and poached eggs to ensure the discussion was indeed, food for thought.

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