Engineers Australia has marked World Youth Skills Day by highlighting the role of young engineers in developing the skills needed to address Australia’s future challenges and calling for continued investment in engineering education and workforce development.
In a statement released to coincide with World Youth Skills Day on 15 July, Engineers Australia said this year’s global theme, “Skills for a Shared Future”, reflects the role of engineering in equipping young people with technical, digital and problem-solving capabilities to help build a more sustainable, connected and resilient future.
Engineers Australia National President and Board Chair Tom Goerke said the annual observance provides an opportunity to recognise the contribution of young engineers while encouraging more students to consider careers in the profession.
“World Youth Skills Day is an opportunity to celebrate the young talent already making a positive impact through engineering and to encourage more students to explore careers in our profession,” Goerke said.
He said demand for engineering skills continues to grow across sectors including infrastructure, technology and defence, making investment in the next generation of engineers increasingly important.
“New technologies continue to reshape the way we live and work, especially for young people. As such, we must ensure they have access to the skills, training and opportunities that will enable them to lead the industries of the future,” Goerke said.
Goerke also identified artificial intelligence as an area of growing importance for early-career engineers, saying education pathways and mentoring programs should equip graduates with the skills to use AI while maintaining strong technical expertise and professional judgement.
“Young engineers are being asked to navigate a work environment that places a greater emphasis on critical thinking skills and the ability to exercise professional judgment when using AI, while also maintaining essential technical knowledge. For them to meet such asks, our education pathways and mentorship programs must make sure engineers have these skills from the start of their careers,” he said.
“While AI provides a promising productivity benefit, it is still our engineering expertise that turns data into real-world outcomes.”
Engineers Australia also reiterated its advocacy for a national target of 60,000 additional engineering graduates over the next decade to help meet current and future workforce needs.
“The development of a sustained pipeline of skilled young engineers remains a vital objective for the development of Australia’s future prosperity,” Goerke said.
