IESL Overseas Chapters Call for National Placement Scheme to Support Unemployed Engineers in Australia

By PUBLICITY DIVISION (IESL)

The Overseas Chapters of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) in Australia have formally urged the Federal Government to establish a Professional Placement Scheme for unemployed and underemployed engineers, highlighting long-standing barriers faced by migrant and overseas-qualified professionals in gaining local industry experience.

In a letter addressed to the Federal Minister for Skills and Training, Hon. Andrew Giles, the IESL Chapters representing New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, and Victoria outlined the challenges faced by qualified engineers—particularly migrant engineers and recent graduates on post-study visas—who struggle to secure employment due to a lack of Australian workplace exposure.

The letter notes that while Australia continues to experience strong demand for engineering skills, many qualified engineers remain excluded from the workforce because employers place heavy emphasis on “local experience.” This requirement, the IESL chapters argue, has created a persistent employment barrier despite engineers possessing strong technical qualifications and international experience.

The IESL Overseas Chapters maintain close collaboration with Engineers Australia (EA) and operate under a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between EA and IESL, which enables the mutual recognition of professional engineers. Through this agreement, many Sri Lankan-qualified engineers have already contributed significantly to Australia’s economic and infrastructure development.

The letter also highlights that although Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programs are well established through Engineers Australia and IESL chapters, opportunities for structured, supervised workplace placements remain limited. Inconsistent management of industry training components—particularly for international graduates—has resulted in varied outcomes and insufficient real-world exposure to Australian engineering standards and professional practices.

Referring to a 2011 Australian Senate inquiry into engineering skills shortages and a 2023 Engineers Australia media release, the IESL chapters emphasized the urgency of coordinated national action. According to Engineers Australia, demand for engineering skills is at its highest level in more than a decade, while more than 20 per cent of qualified engineers are currently not working in the engineering sector.

Against this backdrop, the IESL Overseas Chapters have proposed a Professional Placement Scheme that would provide structured industry placements for unemployed engineers, enabling them to gain local experience while strengthening Australia’s engineering capability. The initiative, they say, would be particularly timely as Australia prepares for major national priorities, including infrastructure development for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games and the transition toward Net Zero emissions by 2050.

The chapters expressed their willingness to collaborate with federal and state governments, industry stakeholders, and Engineers Australia divisions nationwide to help remove systemic barriers and unlock the full potential of Australia’s engineering workforce.