SA engineer shortage needs to be addressed at the root

ENGINEERS Australia’s South Australia Division has presented a report which shows the decline of education in that state means the SA Strategic Plan may not be achievable.

Bill Filmer, President of the SA division of Engineers Australia, presented the analysis and recommendations of the report on 12 November 2008.

Although the state has a comprehensive education system, students are facing a relative decline in their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) capabilities.

This decline, according to the organisation, will need to be decisively corrected by the government, with a repriorisation in schools, staffing and curricula.

The shortage of skilled engineers will impact on the ability of organisations and industry to undertake and complete projects. The organisation also identified the use of “science” as an umbrella term for STEM subjects as being problematic, because it masks the function of engineering and available career opportunities.