2. An Inclusive Professional Team

To create an ethos where each current and potential member, and each member of staff, feels that their contribution will be valued on its merits, and their needs understood, regardless of their professional or personal background.

Promoting the benefits of membership

• Across 2008 and 2009, the successive National Presidents conducted visits to all Divisions, including many country groups. Division Presidents and Directors also visited many non-metropolitan members.


• Council meetings were scheduled in Division venues on a rotating basis - this year in Perth, Brisbane and Canberra (twice).


• The Industry Team delivered presentations to over 5,000 members and prospective members promoting the benefits of membership, the attainment of Chartered Status and the value of Continuing Professional Development.


• Initiatives were undertaken by the national membership team in conjunction with Divisions to review Senior Members with a view to offering Fellow membership, and to review applicants for admission to Member grades for suitable Fellow candidates.


• Nearly 10,000 new admissions to membership occurred during 2008-2009, some 1,300 readmissions to membership, and nearly 2,700 upgrades of membership grade and/or category.


• Total membership increased by 2,859 to 88,560 (up 3.3%), with the full member grade increasing nearly 5%.

Encouraging voluntary contributions by our members

• In 2008 Engineers Australia relaunched the primary schools program, EngQuest with an emphasis on online delivery and in doing so utilized new technologies to bring members of the engineering team closer to students via an online "Ask an Engineer Forum". Volunteers are now able to communicate directly with students from across the country, particularly in rural and remote locations. The forum was widely embraced by both schools and volunteers with 2-3 forums taking place every week through the year.


• Divisions and College Boards report consistently on the success of their various efforts to mentor Young Engineer Australia members onto committees and panels, and the contributions of YEA members to their activities.


• Volunteer induction and training, and recognition of volunteer efforts through such means as certificate presentations continue to be well-attended.

Supporting diverse interest groups and remote members

• Council approved the establishment of a Regional Committee of Council to progress the work of the Regional Taskforce which reported to Council in 2008.


• A final report is included in the Highlights section of this report on the outcomes of work by the 2008 Engineering Team Task Force, addressing issues affecting Technologist and Associate members.


• The inaugural meeting of the new National Committee on Biomedical Engineering Education and Research was held in September 2008.


• Many new interest groups were launched, or renewed: for overseas qualified members - SA Division; Riverina and Central West NSW - Sydney Division; North East Region, Senior Engineers, Emerging Leaders - Victoria Division.


• In 2008 The Year of the Engineering Team, Council's Task Force delivered a plan of action to achieve increasing acceptance of technologists and associates in Engineers Australia and the Australian community. A concluding report is in the Highlights section at the front of this report.


• The Mechanical College Board collaborated with the Associates, the Royal Institute of Naval Architects, and its Branches in the respective Divisions on the technical tour of the MV Doulos to various ports (the world's oldest oceangoing passenger ship).


• Newcastle Division reports its Regional Convention in Grafton as a resounding success.


• The new National Committee for Oil and Gas has been active in WA Division, where the interest originated, and is looking to grow in other Divisions.


• The software engineering national committee strengthened its links with the Australian Computer Society, particularly through their joint annual conference in April 2009.


• Coordination between Young Engineers Australia, Women in Engineering and Centre for Engineering Leadership and Management chapters resulted in many highly successful joint activities across the Divisions, including in regional centres.

Percentage members 35 years and younger

The age profile of our membership continues to get younger, giving healthy prospects for the future.

Admissions into our Graduate Member grades remained attractive, showing good increases over recent years.

• Admissions of new full Members increased by a staggering 51% to nearly 1,600 during the year, fuelling a 4.9% increase in that grade.
• Female membership grew by nearly 14% in the full Member grades, again the highest increase in any grade.
  

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