The plan outlines six key strategic initiatives as well as establishing a fresh vision for the organization.
Following an extensive development and consultation process, A Vision for Collaboration: Engineers Canada 2022-2024 Strategic Plan was approved during the 2021 Annual Meeting of Members in May. The plan sets out the organization’s strategic priorities for the next three years as we work to advance engineering through national collaboration.
The six strategic priorities are grouped under three key themes:
- Advancing the engineering regulatory framework
- Championing an equitable, diverse, inclusive, and trustworthy engineering profession
- Upholding our commitment to excellence
The product of multiple consultations and refinement, the plan was built in response to some of the major trends and risks identified throughout the strategic planning process. These include the evolving regulatory landscape, the impact of technological innovation on the regulation of engineering practice, trends in licensure rates among engineering graduates, and the challenges COVID-19 has presented to the career paths of women in engineering and the efforts needed to create a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive profession.
In addition to identifying strategic priorities, the plan also articulates a vision statement for Engineers Canada. Recognizing the important role the organization plays in bringing together the 12 provincial and territorial regulators within a national and international context, the vision of Engineers Canada is to “advance Canadian engineering through national collaboration.” This vision provides a direction that describes not only what we seek to achieve, but also how we intend to achieve it.
The priorities outlined in this plan represent the transformative objectives of Engineers Canada. While pursuing these goals, operational programs and projects continue, as established through the annual operating plan.
A process anchored by consultation
Consulting with key stakeholders was a key priority throughout the planning process. At multiple points, input was sought from the engineering regulators, Engineering Deans Canada, the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board, and the Canadian Engineering Qualifications Board.
The strategic planning process started in late 2019 with an environmental scan of the trends impacting the engineering profession, as well as an analysis of Engineers Canada’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). This was supplemented in the summer of 2020 with an analysis of potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The priorities for the plan began to take shape during a foresight workshop held in February 2020. The workshop brought together stakeholders to assess the environmental scan results and identify potential priorities.
With this input, draft strategic priorities were determined at the August 2020 strategic workshop of the Engineers Canada Board, and a draft strategic plan was produced. Throughout the fall, information sessions were held with stakeholders and a series of consultations conducted with the regulators.
After reviewing and consolidating this input, the Board’s Strategic Plan Task Force finalized a proposed strategic plan for Board approval in February 2021 and finally regulator approval at the May 2021 Annual Meeting of Members.
With an approved plan in place, Engineers Canada staff are laying the groundwork to begin taking action on these priorities in the new year.
Read more:
A vision for collaboration: Engineers Canada 2022-2024 strategic plan
