(Left to right) Marilyn Powers, P.Eng., Dave Carnegie, P.Eng., Steve Pepper, P.Eng., and Jerome James, P.Eng. at OSPE’s NEM Kick-Off, 2024
On Tuesday, OSPE hosted a panel discussion “Understanding the True Value of Engineering Services and How to Boost Them”.
Special thanks to moderator Dave Carnegie P.Eng. and panelists Stephanie Smith, P.Eng., Nick Mocan, P.Eng., and Jim Sarvinis, P.Eng. for sharing their thoughts and experience of where we are at as an industry today and where we need to go.
It was a very engaging conversation followed by questions from the audience. Here are some of the takeaways:
- There is tremendous opportunity for engineers in Ontario. Multiple panelists indicated that they are having a hard time finding the talent they need. We need to continue to work on making it easier for talent to connect with employment.
- The outlook for engineers is bright. All significant economic drivers – sustainability, integration of technology, social innovation – require sharp minds with problem–solving skills – ENGINEERS.
- YES, some engineering graduates are finding success in other unregulated fields (and thus are not pursuing licensure. This does not have an easy fix but there was agreement that the celebration of engineers and engineering excellence and their impact on our communities can have a positive effect. We need to remind students of why they pursued engineering in the first place.
As you can tell from the notes above, we only scratched the surface of some of the issues affecting the engineering community. We look forward to further engagement with members, industry, and other stakeholders as we reinforce our sector for the future.
Stephanie Smith, P.Eng., Senior VP of Engineering and Chief Nuclear Engineer,
AtkinsRéalis speaking on a panel at OSPE’s NEM Kick-Off, 2024
