State organizations and member firms throughout the ACEC federation recognized the important history and future significance of engineers during this year’s National Engineers Week in February.
During the week, ACEC/Missouri coordinated its first ever “Engineering Day at the Missouri Capitol,” where more than 65 engineering professionals attended. Other highlights included ACEC Indiana conducting its annual National Engineers Week outreach featuring presentations to 100 classrooms throughout the state, and Houston-based Walter P Moore commemorating Engineers Week with a series of new videos relating to the 2023 National Engineers Week theme, “Creating the Future.”
Other National Engineers Week highlights included:
DiscoverE and the Global Strategy Group released results from a year-long research project in 2022 to determine exactly how today’s teens and their parents perceive engineering.
Titled Messages Matter: Effective Messages for Reaching Tomorrow’s Innovators, the research was designed to gauge the level of understanding and interest in engineering among students and parents, to assess general career choice motivators, and to evaluate current engineering promotion messages. More than 4,000 high school students and 1,000 parents were surveyed.
Key findings include:
When students were asked to name the top three people in their lives whom they had spoken to about a future career, the responses were: mother/female parent or guardian (55 percent had spoken a lot and 30 percent had spoken a little); father/male parent or guardian (42 percent had spoken a lot and 33 percent had spoken a little); and close friends (41 percent had spoken a lot and 39 percent had spoken a little). And when asked to choose from a long list of factors regarding what’s important when considering a future career choice, financial security was the top choice for both parents (61 percent) and students (55 percent).
The report references two projects conducted in the early 2000s, calling that an “aha moment” when it became clear how engineering industry messaging that emphasized how engineers solve problems using math and science neglected to mention the critical work being done by engineers and also failed to align with many students’ career or personal aspirations. The study report continues to say that as a result of this realization, the engineering industry has since changed how it presents itself, and so part of the purpose of this latest survey was to discover how today’s students have received the new messaging. Read the full DiscoverE Messages Matter report at discovere.org/messages-matter.
Every year, ACEC Indiana coordinates a National Engineers Week student outreach effort during the month of February. Their engineer volunteers make presentations at elementary, middle, and high schools, encouraging students to consider a job in engineering or related fields.
As a collaborative effort to develop the talent pipeline for future engineers, ACEC Indiana members partnered with several public agencies including Citizens Energy Group, the Indiana Department of Transportation, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works, and city and county engineers to conduct these presentations.
As result, ACEC Indiana was able to reach more than 1,000 students in 100 classrooms throughout the state of Indiana during the 2023 National Engineers Week.
The ACEC Ohio Central Ohio Chapter hosted the 2023 Central Ohio Engineers Week Luncheon with over 350 attendees who heard from Kevin Hoggatt, Intel’s director of state government affairs for Ohio; Dr. Allison MacKay, professor and chair of civil, environmental, and geodetic engineering at The Ohio State University; and Jack Marchbanks, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Also during the week, ACEC Ohio Northwest Ohio Chapter co-hosted its annual Toledo Engineers Week Luncheon (pictured), presented in conjunction with the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers Toledo Chapter and the University of Toledo College of Engineering.
ACEC Colorado kicked off National Engineers Week with a Tuesday legislative reception near the state capitol. More than 20 state member firm employees joined with ACEC Colorado staff and its lobbying team to discuss key issues with 14 state senators and representatives, as well as several aides.
The state organization also hosted a volunteer orientation for member firm employees interested in becoming tutors in conjunction with the Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists. ACEC Colorado also received a proclamation from Gov. Jared Polis.
Walter P Moore produced a series of videos featuring its staff from throughout the nation emphasizing the significance of the 2023 National Engineers Week theme “Creating the Future.” “Our goal was twofold,” says Kirsten Cornell, the firm’s senior communications specialist and a senior associate. “We first wanted to align ourselves with the 2023 National
Engineers Week theme, and then use our employees’ diverse areas of sector expertise to highlight the abundant ways engineering enhances everyday life.”
View Walter P Moore’s 2023 National Engineers Week videos at:
Connect with Experts | David Ford: https://bit.ly/40XnMiu
Connect with Experts | Armen Megerdoomian: https://bit.ly/429FwIy
Connect with Experts | Bart Miller: https://bit.ly/3oUfYkl
Connect with Experts | Kelly Dillard: https://bit.ly/3ANwxRP
Connect with Experts | Ray Drexler: https://bit.ly/44naSgX
Following the theme of how engineers make a difference in our world and help create the future for the next generation, AVCON produced a series of video interviews with several of the firm’s engineers reflecting on what engineering means to them and how they can foster innovation and excellence in the next generation of students and engineers, and offering some personal insights on their journey in the field.
As part of Girl Day, the firm invites women in engineering to inspire young girls to do anything they put their minds to, especially when it comes to engineering. To highlight the importance of Girl Day this year, AVCON interviewed Tonia Nation to discuss her introduction to engineering, mentorship, and advice for girls and young women interested in becoming engineers. Currently a senior site development manager in Niceville, Florida, Nation has been with AVCON for 21 years.
Every year, Smith Seckman Reid (SSR) pauses to celebrate its engineers during Eweek. With colleagues located in offices across the country, the firm encourages activities that allow for teambuilding and camaraderie. This year, colleagues took time to enjoy team breakfasts, lunches, and happy hours. SSR also brought in fun games to encourage friendly competition.