The Future of Our Industry

Over the past 10 years, our association has experienced a significant drop in the number of firms we hold as members. In that same period, the number of staff employed by our members has increased by more than 50 per cent.

As an Association, we recognize that our members are constantly struggling to find qualified staff to meet the needs of our clients. While this is especially true at the intermediate to senior ranks, it is also true at the junior levels. New graduates from our colleges and universities now have more career choices than ever before. They have the flexibility and opportunities to find careers that will give them challenging work while also providing a work-life balance that they desire.

To address this challenge, the Board of ACEC has approved the development of a video to excite engineering students early in their academic careers about the possibiliment ty of a career in consulting engineering. Our goal is to demonstrate how the work that we do every day is exciting and challenging and contributes to society, both locally and on a global basis. When successfully implemented, I believe that we will see many more young engineers choosing our industry as the right career choice.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to say welcome to a new addition to the ACEC family. Mr. Jeff Morrison officially took over the reigns as President and Chief Operating Officer of ACEC on July 14, 2008. Jeff joins us from the Canadian Construction Association where he was most recently the Executive Director of TRIP Canada, the Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs and Director of Environment. I, along with my colleagues on the Board of Directors, wish Jeff all the best as he takes on this role and we look forward to working with him for many years to come.

LEON BOTHAM, P. ENG. CHAIR, ASSOCIATION OF CANADIAN

ENGINEERING COMPANIES (ACEC)