Why Singapore needs engineering talents more than ever

The world celebrates World Engineering Day on Thursday (March 4).

This is an annual event that aims to pay tribute to and highlight engineers’ and engineering achievements in our modern world and improve public understanding of how engineering and technology are central to modern life and for sustainable development.

The work of engineers has been a key enabler of the world’s economic, infrastructural and societal progress.

For example, in Singapore, from our Housing and Development Board flats to our public transport system to our drinking water – none of these would have been possible without engineers in our nation- building.

On the world’s journey towards a greener and more sustainable future, engineers have also made crucial contributions in many aspects.

They have enabled progress towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in areas including clean water and sanitisation, affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, and climate action.

In Singapore, our engineers have enabled us to green more than 40 per cent of our buildings as of 2019, built flood protection structures against climate change, developed alternative energy solutions, developed infrastructure to promote electric vehicles, harnessed value from waste and so on.

More engineers and engineering work will be needed to achieve the ambitious targets set under the Singapore Green Plan 2030 recently announced by the Government.

With the support of engineers, we can strengthen our commitments under the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Paris Agreement and be well-positioned to achieve our long-term net zero emissions aspirations.

Engineers will contribute to all five pillars of the plan – city in nature, energy reset, sustainable living, green economy and resilient future.

We need engineers to develop innovative solutions that will lead to quadrupling our solar energy deployment, construction of greener buildings, building of more sustainable infrastructure, expansion of our rail network to 360km, design of low carbon alternatives, mitigating and adaptation to climate change and many more.

To ensure Singapore has a strong core of engineering talents to accomplish our green aspirations, there needs to be a greater appreciation and recognition of their efforts in our society.

This will help to attract more young talents to join the engineering profession and encourage existing engineers to remain and contribute in their roles.

World Engineering Day 2021’s theme is “Engineering for a healthy planet”.

Together, let us pay tribute to the work of engineers to spur more students to join the profession to create an even better future for all of us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tan Seng Chuan is chairman of the international outreach committee as well as the chartered engineering technologist and technician accreditation board at the Institution of Engineers, Singapore.