Ms Bernadette Foley and Mr Peter Briggs (Q&A)

Engineering Supply and Demand Dynamics in Australia in 2024

This presentation aims to delve into the dynamics shaping engineering supply and demand in Australia in 2024.

We will begin by examining the sources of supply for engineers in Australia, drawing from the latest data available. This includes a detailed analysis of the domestically trained engineering workforce, highlighting key statistics, emerging trends, and persistent barriers such as the challenges in mathematics education.

We will explore the contribution of migrant engineers to the Australian engineering workforce, detailing the impacts of COVID-19 border closures and examining occupational outcomes when compared to domestically trained engineers.

Our exploration will also cover the outflows from the engineering profession, including attrition rates at various career stages, retirement trends, and the impact of outbound migration.

We will examine the demand profile for engineers and engineering services in Australia, utilising vacancy data, census, labour force data and engineering construction activity datasets to provide insights into what is currently driving the demand in the Australian economy.

Looking ahead, we will discuss future demand drivers, including whole decarbonisation of the economy by 2050 to achieve Australia’s net zero commitments.

Finally, we will address the "known unknowns" that could influence both supply and demand in unpredictable ways. These include the impact of artificial intelligence on engineering education and practice, the implications of climate change and the need for resilience and adaptation, and the challenges posed by peak population and we will consider how shifting motivations among younger generations of engineers, who prioritize purpose and positive societal contributions over traditional incentives, could transform the dynamics of engineering supply and demand in Australia.

By examining these various facets, this presentation aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current and future dynamics of engineering supply and demand in Australia, equipping stakeholders with the insights needed to navigate this complex landscape.

Bios

Bernadette Foley

Bernadette Foley was appointed Acting Chief Engineer in March 2024 after joining Engineers Australia in 2019 as the Head of Accreditation. She has been General Manger of Professional Standards since 2021. Bernadette is a civil engineer with more than 30 years’ experience across industry and education in Australia and the UK. Her technical expertise is in urban concept planning, water resource management and sustainability. Prior to joining Engineers Australia, Bernadette was the Associate Dean (Curriculum and Accreditation) in the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Adelaide. Bernadette has a background in engineering education including curriculum reform, improving educational outcomes and graduate employability, improving professional standards and strengthening connections between academia and industry. She was an International Engineering Alliance working group member for the 2021 review of the international Graduate Attributes and Professional Competencies for the engineering profession.

Peter Briggs

Peter Briggs graduated as a systems engineer, majoring in mechanical and material systems, from the Australian National University and joined engineers Australia in March 2021. He is passionate about the engineering profession and has developed a deep understanding of the dynamics and state of the engineering workforce in Australia. Peter has a keen interest in renewable energy, complex systems, engineering education and increasing the awareness and understanding of engineering for young Australians. Prior to joining Engineers Australia Peter worked extensively in the legal profession, gaining invaluable experience to complement his engineering qualifications. In 2023 Peter authored the 15th edition of the Engineering Profession: A statistical overview and was responsible for leading the development of the accompanying interactive data dashboard.