President's Notebook
APEGA
and it’s painful, especially for those of us in the latter parts of our careers, but I don’t think the rehiring of professionals in oil and gas will return us to the employment levels we were at before the most recent downturn. There are alternatives. Sustainable and renewable energy are a real thing in Alberta. There are technological challenges that must be overcome, of course, and that’s what APEGA members do: we find solutions. As the province replaces coal as the main contributor to the electrical grid, new jobs are being created. Right now, we are somewhere in the very small double-digit percentage points when it comes to the generation of renewable energy in Alberta. The province has committed us to reach 30 per cent by 2030. That’s a growth industry, and it needs us. A technological revolution continues in the developed and developing world. Manufacturing employment in North America is shrinking because of robotics, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and globalization. Retail is changing because of a growing online marketplace. Autonomous cars will revolutionize the way we ship goods. The technology for lab-grown meat exists—think for a second what that could mean to the fabric of Alberta. Professionalism, in these times of change, is just as important as it has always been. Within our membership we have management, leadership, communication, and mentorship skills, all built upon an ethical foundation. I submit that this wisdom is a resource that we can and should share with the world, particularly when we import engineering and geoscience.
Somewhere within what I’ve mentioned here is a new approach to so-called outsourcing or off-shoring of engineering and geoscience. When our members authenticate the work of others, perhaps there are steps earlier in the process that we need to make explicit and formalize. Steps that take advantage of the vast well of experience Alberta represents. It’s clear to me that globalization demands that APEGA continue becoming a smarter regulator. Our reason for being, ultimately, is regulation, and given the pace and diversity of technological change, we must always be looking ahead and finding improved regulatory approaches. Just as you must change and adapt in your practice roles, APEGA must change and adapt in its roles. A year is not a lot of time, and I am not naïve about the impact I can have. There are seeds worth planting, however. With a diverse and capable Council, and you, we can be a positive influence on the strategic direction of APEGA. Many seeds have been planted by those APEGA Presidents who came before me. I’d like to thank the most recent of those, Past-President Jane Tink, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.). Her approach of listening to members and permit holders in a direct way is like my own, and I am sure I will seek her wise counsel often as I continue along this path. I need your counsel, too. You will have opportuni- ties to meet me directly to discuss these and other issues important to you, throughout my term. Please take advantage of them, when you see them promoted on social media, on this website, and in APEGA’s elec- tronic newsletter. And finally, thank you for the trust and confidence you’ve demonstrated by allowing me to be your President. I will do my very best to be deserving.
LINKS Inaugural Speech Project Tibet Society Facebook Page Dalai Lama Website
Questions or comments? president@apega.ca
6 | PEG SUMMER 2018
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