Our understanding on a quote

Our understanding on a quote

 “I contend that we (engineers) are undervalued because of our widespread inability to

explain what we do to the general public (and why it is so important). It is one of the

hardest goals to accomplish, to be able to boil down difficult concepts into a short and

easily understood presentation or elevator pitch.”

Marybeth Miceli, President, Miceli Infrastructure Consulting, USA (2011)

When the common man thinks about engineers and their contributions to society, we often get a common response of awe and respect; owing to the undeniable fact that without engineers, many of the goods and products that make our lives easier today would be non-existent. But, it may come as a shock to many that only a small percentage of engineers feel the value and appreciation people have for them and the own organizations that they work for. A significant survey by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers revealed that only 24% [1] of engineers believe their profession is valued by wider society, and a majority feel that their contributions within their companies are not sufficiently recognized. This sentiment is particularly pronounced among women engineers, who often feel less valued and face more obstacles in their careers compared to their male counterparts. According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, most engineers are fantastic in explaining the technical aspects of their jobs [2], but are often poor communicators and listeners, hindering them from fully becoming effective at their jobs.

Another key point that Engineers feel unvalued compared to other jobs, is that they contribute more behind-the-scenes. Unlike doctors, lawyers or salespeople who are at the front of the action where the average person can watch them perform their jobs and understand the difficulty and proficiency of their skills, engineers are usually out of the public’s eye when designing and problem solving a particular item. For example, when a shiny aesthetic building is unveiled, the architects and business leaders are the ones showcasing the project to the public, whereas the backbone of the project; the engineers designing and calculating math and science have limited chance to display their technical abilities. Hence why it is extremely important for engineers to “boil down difficult concepts into short and easily understood presentations” with the little time and rare opportunity they have interacting with people without engineering knowledge.

These findings show the importance and value of effective communication; it might be that an individual may possess great skills and contributions, but our ideas can only be as good as how we communicate it to the wider masses. Hence, whatever our profession, no matter how important it may be, we must not undermine the importance of effective communication and one should take steps in improving it, not only to improve our professional work but also our interpersonal lives. 

Citation:

[1] Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Workforce survey reveals engineers are dedicated but feel undervalued

https://www.imeche.org/news/news-article/workforce-survey-reveals-engineers-are-dedicated-but-feel-undervalued

[2] American Society Of Mechanical Engineers. Abridging Basics For Career Development 

https://www.asme.org/wwwasmeorg/media/programs/early-career/futureme_abcd_communication.pdf