Successful engineers increasingly need to be great business people as well as technical experts, say Engineers Australia National President John MacIntosh and CEO Peter McIntyre.
Engineers solve real-world problems. Clean, reliable and affordable energy; secure communications and efficient transport systems are not only technical challenges, they are societal challenges.
In engineering projects, technical factors sit alongside economic, political, social, legal, ethical and environmental considerations, and engineers are now expected to consider all of these. We must not only be technical experts but also cross-functional collaborators and well-rounded business people with financial management, emotional intelligence and communication skills.
Market research recently commissioned by Engineers Australia found that some employers are predicting an impending split between the side of engineering that will become more automated and the side that will become more about working with people. One employer spoke of this as the middle of engineering being ‘hollowed out’. Being prepared for this change could be the difference between success and failure.
As a result, employers are starting to look for engineers who are able to understand how engineering solutions fit into the wider human context. For those engineers, while technical abilities are still important, they are seen as the baseline.
Companies are increasingly looking for engineers with a broader skillset, able to work across disciplines and teams and deal with multiple stakeholders. Yet employers say that it can be very difficult to find engineers with qualities such as strong communication, creativity, systems thinking – and most of all – emotional intelligence.
Our market research also highlighted differences in employers’ preparedness for the future of engineering.
The unprecedented global reach of engineering today means that, to remain competitive, Australian companies must ensure that they are at the leading edge when it comes to forward planning, innovation and use of emerging technologies.
“Companies are increasingly looking for engineers with a broader skillset.”
This is the context for new offerings at Engineers Australia, which reflect the changing role of engineers and support you in building a rounded skillset. The College of Leadership & Management is a hub for engineers in positions of leadership, as well as those who aspire to be leaders of the future.
Our subsidiary company Engineers Education Australia can help you to develop your communications, business development, people management, presentation and financial skills. Experienced leaders may also have their expertise recognised with the EngExec post nominal.
If these predicted changes to engineering become reality, those companies and individuals who have invested in emerging technology and developed their staff’s business and people skills will be much more likely to succeed. EA is here to support you.
