ANNUAL REPORT
23/24

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

Ngā mihi kia koutou

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As the first President to serve a two-year term under our new governance rules, this report marks the midpoint of my tenure. The extended term has already proven its value, allowing more consistent long-term planning, reducing disruption, and enabling stronger follow-through on key initiatives. These changes reflect the positive impact of our Governance Review, which continues to strengthen our organisation.

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The ability to appoint board members with specific expertise and the introduction of the “Emerging Professional” seat allow fresh perspectives, greater diversity, and enhanced capabilities on our Board, ensuring it better represents you, the members, and the interests of engineering in Aotearoa. 

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The benefits of this longer-term view are evident in our three-year strategic plan, which was finalised in 2024 to provide a clear framework for our work. Our 2024–2027 strategy focuses on delivering greater value to members, enhancing the profession’s leadership, building strong partnerships, and achieving organisational excellence. We’re committed to expanding our professional development offerings and revitalising events to help you thrive in your careers and enjoy meaningful professional experiences. At the same time, we continue to modernise the Chartered Professional Engineers system, address global challenges such as climate change and artificial intelligence, and raise the voice of the profession through targeted advocacy – especially to Ministers and Ministries. 

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Strengthening engagement across our profession is another priority. We’re developing a strategy to ensure Groups are well-placed as technical powerhouses. We’re also expanding partnerships with other organisations, such as ACE New Zealand and Waihanga Ara Rau Construction and Infrastructure Workforce Development Council to help prepare the profession to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving world. Internally, we’re focused on refining the processes that support both our members and Chartered Professional Engineers, with ongoing work to strengthen the CPEng system and improve back-office functions. These efforts aim to make a tangible difference in how members interact with and benefit from the organisation. 

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I want to take this opportunity to thank all members for their support and dedication during what has been a challenging time. Your contributions through Branches, Groups, and various initiatives have been instrumental in helping us navigate these challenges and continue to grow as an organisation. Together, we’re shaping a strong and vibrant engineering profession that will continue to play a crucial role in the future of Aotearoa. 

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Professor Jan Evans-Freeman DistFEngNZ
President

CE'S
REPORT

Ngā mihi nui

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This has been a challenging year for engineers in Aotearoa. The difficult economic climate and changes in Government spending priorities have hit the profession hard. Many talented engineers are facing uncertainty or looking for work. These challenges have been reflected in the work Engineering New Zealand has done over the last year. At every opportunity, we have continued to advocate for more certainty and investment in infrastructure projects, increased investment in STEM education, and ensuring expertise drives critical engineering decisions. We’ve also invested heavily in improvements to the CPEng system and our CPD offerings. 

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Your engagement with the profession has been extraordinary this year. Together with our Technical Groups, Branches, Young Engineers, and academics we delivered an impressive 733 events both online and in person.  We've expanded our professional development offerings, launching the Waka Kotahi Heavy Vehicle Engineer Training modules and specialised Council training programmes to help strengthen compliance and ethical practice. Our Engineering and AI initiative produced a compelling future vision report, positioning our profession to lead in this rapidly evolving space. 

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Strengthening links with our Technical Groups has also delivered outstanding results. Our partnership with NZSOLD established the Recognised Engineers (Dam Safety) framework, while the much-anticipated update to Practice Note 22: Guidelines for Documenting and Coordinating Fire Safety Design will be published soon, after extensive collaboration with stakeholders in the Fire Safety industry. Our Climate Action initiative achieved a major milestone with Practice Note 32: Climate Action – The Role of the Engineer, providing practical guidance for sustainable engineering practice. And despite funding issues, the Wonder Project continued to inspire the next generation of engineers, reaching thousands of students across Aotearoa. 

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We've advanced Kimihia Rangahaua, our journey to embed Te Ao Māori into engineering practice, with indigenous knowledge enriching our programmes and publications and the launch of Te Toa Takitahi Te Ao Māori Engineering Impact Award to celebrate engineers making positive impacts on Te Ao Māori. We showcased our progress at the Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC), demonstrating how mātauranga Māori enhances engineering practice. We've made progress in gender equity through the Diversity Agenda, with Diversity Accord signatories nearly eliminating the gender pay gap, reducing it to just 0.4 percent. Our Women in Engineering oral history project was also launched this year, which celebrates and elevates the contributions of the women who shaped our profession. 

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While challenges remain, this year has highlighted the resilience and ambition of engineers in Aotearoa. Your contributions inspire us daily, and we look forward to continuing to support, connect, and advocate for you. 

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Dr Richard Templer FEngNZ

Chief Executive