Strategies to inspire a new generation to start their careers in engineering or related fields will be the focus of discussions when the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) holds its next convention in August.
BEM board member Fam Yew Hin said the National Engineering Convention (NEC), to be held on Aug 19-21 at the Connexion Conference and Event Centre (Nexus) in Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur, will feature programmes such as mentorship, interactive forums, and a start-up pitch challenge for youth, particularly undergraduates and young engineers.
“The NEC will bring together engineers, engineering technologists, inspectors of works, representatives of government agencies, and students with a view to shaping the direction and future of Malaysia’s entire engineering ecosystem,” Fam told FMT.
“We hope this can inspire the next generation to start their careers as engineers, engineering technologists, or in related fields,” he said. “BEM has a vital role to play in stemming the tide of a falling interest in engineering among youth.”
Focus on youth
Fam said one of the key initiatives is the Future Engineering Talents Gateway, whose objective is to expose young people to the real-world landscape of the profession.
The gateway programme will include vocation-sharing sessions about starting a career in engineering, making the transition between college and the workforce, and choosing the right qualification for one’s engineering career.
Young people’s concerns within the engineering field such as technical and vocational education and training (TVET) will be addressed at these sessions, Fam said.
“We seek to strengthen TVET as an alternative pathway to engineering and explore how digital tools and innovation can improve its relevance and importance,” he added.
The NEC will also feature a hands-on hackathon where the student teams tackle real-world problems by applying engineering solutions, designing business models, and presenting their ideas through mentoring and pitch sessions.
“The board hopes this will encourage innovation and problem solving among young talents,” Fam said.
Wider perspective
Given Malaysia’s position as Asean chair this year, the NEC is also expected to play a central role in fostering regional collaboration.
In the coming months, it will host a series of Asean-focussed engagements, including a forum on the Asean Chartered Professional Engineers (ACPE) qualification, aimed at promoting cross-border professional mobility and encouraging the exchange of information to advance best practices in engineering standards and qualification.
The NEC will also host a “country presentation”, where representatives from Saudi Arabia, Kenya and Nigeria will be invited to showcase current engineering developments and opportunities in their respective countries.
“This provides a global platform for knowledge exchange and aspiring partnerships beyond Asean, further extending our influence as a regional engineering hub,” Fam said.
Unifying Asean through cyber-cooperation will also be a key objective for NEC with the convention aiming to explore the role of engineers in addressing digital vulnerabilities and creating a more resilient Asean engineering ecosystem.
A platform for all
The objective of holding the conference is to engage the entire engineering community, and this will be achieved by serving as a useful platform for collaboration and a space for recognition.
NEC 2025 will include a professional conferment ceremony for newly qualified engineers, and to honour impactful and sustainable technological contributions with the Engineering Innovation Excellence Award.
NEC 2025 is also expected to stay committed to engaging non-engineering stakeholders.
“Anybody who has an opinion about engineering developments in Malaysia can come join us and provide their input,” Fam said.
“We will make sure their voices are heard and taken into consideration when we come up with different regulations or future guidelines for engineering,” he added.
Anyone, from any background, who is interested in participating at NEC can register through the official BEM portal by Aug 4.
