Monday, March 1, 2021, kicks off the start of Canada’s largest celebration of engineering. National Engineering Month not only offers children and youth the chance to explore the world of engineering with online engineering activities and events, but it is also a chance for the engineering community to celebrate the profession.
Weekly engineering themes
Each week of National Engineering Month 2021 will shine a light on a different theme, during which time engineering students, professionals, companies, and associations are encouraged to take to social media (#NEM2021) and demonstrate their pride in the engineering profession and their work related to that week’s theme.
The first week of National Engineering Month kicks off with a focus on working with interdisciplinary professions. All engineering projects come to fruition because engineers collaborate with others. This includes not only collaborating with tradespersons who often make engineering projects come to life with hands-on construction and operation, but also includes collaboration with technologists, technicians, architects, landscape architects, and planners, and with the project owners, investors, and contractors. Much like an orchestra has dozens of musicians and different instruments working in concert together, it takes a multitude of people collaborating and working together to see an engineering project through from imagination to reality.
During the first week of National Engineering Month, we’re encouraging the engineering community to celebrate these collaborations! Share how engineers are part of broader teams working together to shape our communities and our future. For example, share pictures or short videos on social media about your research or projects highlighting how engineers are working with others to move your work forward. Or use this week as an opportunity to talk about how engineers and geoscientists work together to leverage their unique skills. Be sure to use the hashtags #NEM2021 or #NEGM2021 (for National Engineering and Geoscience Month) when posting to social media.
National Engineering Month 2021 also offers dozens of virtual events for engineering students and professionals across the country. Many of the events during the first week of the month revolve around this theme of engineers collaborating with others. Check out the full list of events on the events calendar.
Upcoming weekly themes during National Engineering Month include a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion in engineering (March 8-14); the next generation of engineers (March 15 to 21); and engineering the future (March 22 to 28).
National Engineering Month activities
National Engineering Month is not only a chance for the engineering community to demonstrate their pride in the profession, but it is also an opportunity for children and youth to explore the world of engineering.
For National Engineering Month 2021, Engineers Canada and the provincial and territorial engineering regulators have worked together to develop online activities and content for children and youth of all ages. At Engineers Canada’s ExploreEngineering.ca website, visitors will find an online engineering and geoscience scavenger hunt and a Chart Your Course interactive feature for children in K-6; engineering design challenges that can be done at home or in-class for children in grades 6 to 8; and an online engineering quiz for youth in grades 9 to 12.
National Engineering Month has traditionally also been a time when provincial and territorial regulators organize engineering events for children and youth. However, with social distancing restrictions in place, some of those events have gone virtual for 2021. Check with the provincial and territorial regulator in your jurisdiction for any virtual event offerings, or check the National Engineering Month event calendar for events that are open to participants from across the country.
Regardless of how you choose to participate in National Engineering Month, be sure to follow along and join in on social media using the hashtag #NEM2021 or #NEGM2021.
