New Strategy for Engineers Ireland

At our April Council meeting we adopted a new Strategy for Engineers Ireland for the period 2012 - 2015. It would be difficult and indeed unwise to try to foresee beyond the medium term currently with the uncertainty in the Irish economy.

Engineers Ireland Headquarters at Clyde Road

In the short to medium term we need to define Who exactly we are as an organisation and What we represent and How we intend to fulfil our Role over the next few years. I would maintain that this decision is critical to our future and unquestionably the most important decision that our Council took this year.

The essence of our Strategy is as follows

• Who We Are; The Professional Body for Engineers and Engineering in Ireland.
• Our Vision; A society enhanced by the acknowledged contribution of engineering professionals.
• Our Mission; Our members as leaders and problem solvers commit to excellence in enhancing the quality of life for all.
• Our Theme 2012 -2015; The recognised professional standing and role of the Chartered Engineer.

The four goals of the new strategy are:

1.   REPUTATION: Enhance the reputation of the engineering profession in Ireland, by continuing to advance Engineers Ireland as its leading expert voice

2.   SUPPORT: To support and grow our membership and work with them to enable their career progression

3.   PROFESSIONAL: Keeping members’ professional engineering competence current and world-class

4.  INTERNATIONAL: Supporting international mobility and increasing international recognition through compliance with accreditation and competence standards to safeguard the profession

This Strategy will greatly assist and inform how we spend our resources in the years ahead to accomplish the goals that we have now set out. It will also help to remove any public confusion as to who represents engineers and engineering in Ireland.

At the same meeting we also clarified the future role of the Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE) with whom we have recently signed a new Protocol. Engineers Ireland will deal with current issues affecting the profession in Ireland and the IAE will deal with long term issues affecting the country. When both roles overlap e.g. the current issue of Irish Water, we will agree and issue joint reports as appropriate. We will have regular meetings to ensure that both organisations are aware of current tasks and issues.