Engineers Australia Excellence Awards – Review 2022

Overview

The Engineers Australia Excellence Awards offers a range of national awards, medals, and scholarships that highlight contributions to the various areas of engineering which we support and promote. The Program seeks to reward outstanding achievement and eminence in the practice of engineering, and standout service to the profession. It plays an important role in promoting engineering excellence and the significant contribution engineering makes to the community.

In May 2022, Engineers Australia commenced a review of the awards portfolio. Awards in scope of the review are:

  • People awards – Engineer of the Year
  • Project awards
  • Recognition awards
    -College Awards
    -Special interest Group awards
    -Technical Society awards
    -National Committee and panel awards
  • Division awards
Purpose

As Engineers Australia strives to advance society through great engineering, it is critical that our Awards portfolio aligns with our strategic purpose by:

  • Ensuring Engineers Australia’s award categories are consistent, equitable and inclusive,
  • Our awards align with Engineers Australia’s brand and strategy, and
  • We have the financial capability to sustain our awards portfolio.
Current challenges

As the awards portfolio has evolved over the last 100 years, some key current challenges identified are:

  • Inconsistent process creating confusion to the value,
  • Lack of strategic alignment between our awards program and Engineers Australia’s brand & strategy aspirations,
  • Volume of award categories resulted in an over-complicated process,
  • Low return on investment, and
  • Multiple stakeholder groups requiring highly dedicated coordination effort.
Guiding Principles

In undertaking this significant body of work, we are guided by the following principles to achieve the outcomes of the Awards Review for the program commencing in 2023:

  • Awards that recognize excellence and truly outstanding achievements in engineering,
  • We will set clear criteria for recognizing the significant contribution engineering makes to the community,
  • Awards should align with Engineers Australia’s purpose of advancing society through great engineering, and
  • There is a willingness to trial and adapt as we learn and progress.
Desired outcomes

Our aim is to hear feedback and suggestions on how we can achieve the Awards Review’s desired outcomes:

  • A prestigious awards program contributing to Engineers Australia’s purpose that recognises “great engineering for societal benefit”.
  • Award categories reflect Engineers Australia’s values – integrity, teamwork, customer focus, and progress.
  • Awards are valued by members and the industry.
  • Awards serve as a benchmark for excellence in the engineering profession.
  • Financially sustainable awards portfolio.
Engagement sessions

Engineers Australia staff organised engagement sessions with various Learned Society Groups, Committees, Chief Judges, and EA people in June and July. Resounding feedback from the engagement sessions, was a desire for change and a revised awards program that better reflects current engineering practice.

In addition to the engagement sessions, a short survey was circulated to our stakeholders, industry partners, and our members to understand the needs and value of an awards program, and they resonated with the suggestions and key points arising from the engagement sessions and have contributed to preparing the delivery options for the proposed 2023 awards program.

Next steps

Revised awards portfolio will be launched in April 2023.

Proposed timeline
Engagement sessions with key stakeholders to select option September – November 2022
Workshop streams November 2022 – February 2023
Proposed 2023 timeline established November – December 2022
Awareness for key stakeholders March 2023
Launch public awards program April 2023
 
Conclusion

We need an adaptable, agile mindset to be comfortable with a revised awards program that better reflects engineering practice. We will continue to collaborate with key stakeholders to restructure the awards portfolio for the 2023 season. Together we can make a real difference to the engineering profession in developing a prestigious awards program that recognises excellence in engineering and the impact great engineering has on society.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Peter Godfrey, Chair of the Honours and Awards Committee via [email protected] or Nicole Appleby, General Manager, Professional Development [email protected].