Leaders are told that delivery is now key and that talent will need to be recruited but that the policy arena remains complicated by polarisation.
As the American engineering industry gathers in Washington DC, leaders have told them this is an exciting time for industry despite troubling times for politics.
The USA is investing record sums in infrastructure ranging from water systems to railways, and airports to renewables. That comes in the form of the Federal government’s $1tn Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the engineering industry has been encouraged to embrace that.
ACEC President Linda Bauer Darr told their annual convention that “2021 was the best year ever in our industry’s history. We were already seeing new projects move forward before the IIJA. This unprecedented investment should keep our firms busy for quite a while.”
She cautioned, however, that significant growth in engineering demand will not come without challenges, and particularly with a need for recruiting and retraining as the industry is expected to deliver 82,000 new engineering jobs.
“It’s a tough time to hire engineers and a tough time to retain,’’ said Bauer Darr. “Our ability or inability to fill those jobs will determine whether IIJA succeeds.”
Ms Bauer Darr was speaking at the American Council of Engineering Companies Annual Convention, though industry was also warned that there was a growing challenge when seeking to inform policy.
CBS’ Margaret Brennan warned that polarisation and disinformation was generating great distrust that could lead to bad decision-making.
Brennan said: “The view of Washington D.C. journalists is almost as dismal today as the view about Congress.” Before adding, “An informed electorate is a key part of a successful Democracy.”
The FIDIC president and chief executive, Tony Barry and Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE, attended the convention to provide an international perspective.
Dr Ogunshakin explained: “The scale of investment in American infrastructure is extremely positive but it comes at a time of unprecedented global demand for new and upgraded infrastructure. Pressure on the industry to address climate change, pandemic recovery, supply-change, rising energy cost, skill shortage and inflation means we need to find more efficient ways to deliver projects, to train more people for our industry, and to harness greater capacity across existing infrastructure. It is therefore very welcome to hear these issues being discussed by industry leaders as part of ACEC’s commitment to finding solutions with the sector.”
