On 1 January 2026, Engineers Australia welcomed a new National President and Board Chair. Tom Goerke FIEAust CPEng EngExec brings a technologist’s mindset, an optimist’s outlook and a strong focus on the future of engineering education.
Goerke shared with create what he hopes to achieve during his term as the head of an organisation with 140,000 members – and why he believes this is a pivotal time for the profession.
Congratulations on your appointment. How do you see the role of National President and Board Chair?
“It’s a dual role, and it’s important to understand the distinction. As Board Chair, my responsibility is very much what you’d expect of any professional chair: governance, strategy, culture, performance and ensuring the organisation is well positioned for the future.
“As National President, there’s a strong outward-facing dimension. That’s where I can bring particular focus or influence – whether that’s advocacy, engagement with younger engineers or shaping conversations about the future of the profession. For me, the two roles are closely linked, but the presidency is where I can help articulate where engineering is heading and how Engineers Australia can support members through that change.”
What are your key priorities as you step into the role?
“They really fall into three connected areas. The first is understanding our members better. Engineers Australia is a membership organisation, and everything we do should be anchored in serving our members effectively – across different disciplines, career stages and regions.
“The second is technology and digitalisation – not just how engineers use technology, but how Engineers Australia uses it to deliver better services and insights.
“And the third is being a catalyst for evolving engineering education in Australia, particularly considering how rapidly engineering practice is changing.
“All three are interconnected. Better data and digital capability help us understand members. That insight informs how we support engineers through technological change. And it also gives us a powerful perspective to feed back into education, accreditation and workforce planning.”
You’ve spoken a lot about digital transformation at Engineers Australia. What does success look like there?
“Digital transformation isn’t about technology for its own sake. It’s about using technology to understand what our members need and then responding in meaningful ways.
“Success looks like being able to tailor support more effectively – whether that’s helping graduates navigate early career pathways, supporting mid-career engineers through transitions, or enabling senior engineers to keep their skills current in a rapidly evolving environment.
“It also means Engineers Australia having better visibility of trends across the profession. We represent engineers across their entire careers, which gives us a perspective universities or individual employers don’t have.
“If we can use that responsibly and intelligently, we can deliver real value to members and provide informed input to industry and government.”
Your background is strongly focused on technology. How do you see emerging technologies such as AI affecting engineers?
“I’m fundamentally optimistic. Throughout my career, I’ve seen multiple waves of technological change. Each time, there’s concern about job loss or disruption – and each time, technology ends up creating new opportunities, new roles and new ways of working.
“AI is no different. The key point is that technology tends to amplify capability. Good engineers become more productive and more effective. The challenge is ensuring engineers are equipped with the skills, judgement and experience to use these tools well.
“That’s why Engineers Australia needs to be actively engaged in these conversations helping shape how technology is integrated into engineering practice, education and professional standards.”
You’ve raised concerns about graduate pathways. What’s happening there?
“We’re starting to see some worrying signals, particularly in technology-related fields.
“In some sectors, companies are hiring fewer graduates because productivity tools – including AI – mean they can rely on smaller, more experienced teams. That creates a pipeline problem. If graduates can’t get early-career experience, where do the experienced engineers of the future come from?
“This isn’t something industry, universities or government can solve on their own. It requires coordination. We need to rethink how engineers are educated, how industry experience is embedded into degrees, and how incentives are structured.
“Engineers Australia has a role to play here – as a connector, a convenor and an advocate – helping bring those stakeholders together and ensuring the system evolves rather than breaks.”
How do you see Engineers Australia’s role in engineering education changing?
“Accreditation remains critically important, but I think we can do more than just assess from the outside.
“We have access to data and insight across entire engineering careers – from student members through to retirement. That gives us a unique view of what skills are being used, how roles are evolving and where gaps are emerging.
“I’d like to see Engineers Australia use that insight proactively – working with universities, industry and government to help shape curricula, promote industry-integrated learning models and support faster adaptation where needed.
“This is especially vital as Engineers Australia is the entity responsible for accrediting all Australian universities with the Washington Accord. We accredited 186 programs in 2024-25 alone.
“Education systems need to evolve continuously. Engineers Australia can help make that evolution informed, coordinated and aligned with national needs.”
You’ve described yourself as an optimist. Why does that matter right now?
“If you look at what engineers are doing, there’s an enormous amount to be positive about. Engineers are central to decarbonisation, energy transition, advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure and health technologies.
“Optimism matters because it shapes how we respond. Engineers are at their best when they’re given complex problems and trusted to solve them. My role is to help ensure Engineers Australia supports that mindset – confident, adaptable and focused on contribution.”
What would you like members to know as you begin your term?
“First, that this is a collective effort. Engineers Australia’s strength comes from its members, volunteers, staff and leadership working together.
“Second, that change is not something to fear. The profession has always evolved – and engineers have always been at the centre of that evolution.
“And finally, Engineers Australia can and should be one of the most trusted voices in the country on issues involving engineering, technology and society. We have the scale, expertise and credibility to do that – provided we stay connected to our members and focused on delivering value.”
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