Engineers Week 2017 set for Feb. 19-25

Feb. 7, 2017
ISA, Automation Federation plan week of activities to introduce young people to the value of STEM learning and careers

The International Society of Automation (ISA) and its umbrella organization, the Automation Federation, has slated its annual Engineers Week for Feb. 19-25.

Designed to promote the value and significance of engineering and engineering careers, the event aims to foster a “positive difference in the world and seeks to raise awareness around the need to attract more young people to the engineering profession.”

Increasing the supply of workers qualified and prepared to compete for high-tech jobs is perhaps the most pressing challenge facing manufacturers worldwide, according to ISA. Experts project that over the next 10 years nearly 3.5 million manufacturing jobs in the U.S. will be needed. Projections forecast up to 2 million of these jobs going unfulfilled.

ISA, as a contributing coalition member of DiscoverE, asks its members and other automation engineers to interact with and support young people, whether as a student mentor or classroom speaker or by bringing a class of students to your workplace for a tour.

[javascriptSnippet]

"It's so very important that we recognize the value and contributions of engineers and automation professionals because they directly contribute to the quality of life we enjoy," says Michael Marlowe, managing director and director of government relations at the Automation Federation. "While the fields of engineering and automation touch so many areas of daily life, so much of what is accomplished by these professionals is simply taken for granted and not acknowledged or celebrated on a regular basis."

Thousands of Engineers Week-related events take place across the U.S. each year and are hosted by individuals, professional societies, engineering firms and universities. Popular ways to get involved include:

  • Presenting at a classroom or after-school group
  • Bringing students to your workplace or campus
  • Hosting a public event
  • Publicizing your plans in the DiscoverE calendar or on the ISA blog, ISA Interchange

To learn more, visit the DiscoverE website, and find more ways to promote Engineers Week.