John Power has been inaugurated as the 130^th president of Engineers Ireland at the professional membership body’s AGM, held on Thursday evening, June 2, 2022. 

John Power, 130th president of Engineers Ireland

Power succeeds Professor Orla Feely, vice president for research, innovation and impact at University College Dublin as president of the institution for the 2022/2023 session.

A graduate of engineering from University College Dublin, Power has completed a master’s degree in industrial engineering (MIE) and an MBA.

Number of diverse roles in engineering management

Following graduation, he began working as a technical adviser with General Electric in the USA and South America. In 1978, Power joined ESB, where over a 30-year career, he enjoyed a number of diverse roles in engineering management, marketing and corporate change before becoming HR manager in ESB Networks, executive director in ESBI, and finally, head of ESB Corporate Affairs.

Power is also a former director general of Engineers Ireland (2007-2015) where he greatly enhanced the profile of the profession by highlighting the contribution of engineering to the quality of all our lives.  

As an advocate for registered professional titles, Power promoted the title of Chartered Engineer and was instrumental in the inclusion of the CEng title in the revised building regulations.

During his tenure, he was also fundamental in raising the reputation of Irish engineering qualifications internationally and the requirement for a master’s degree or equivalent to secure the title of Chartered Engineer. 

Executive coach

Now practising as an executive coach, Power deploys his broad career experience supporting others. He graduated with his executive coaching qualification from the UCD Smurfit Business School in 2016 and is an accredited senior executive coach with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council.  

Power became a Fellow of Engineers Ireland in 1985 and was inaugurated as vice-president of Engineers Ireland in June 2020. He serves as a trustee of the Arup Charitable Trust and is a member of the Engineers Ireland Benevolent Fund committee. He is also past president of the UCD Engineering Graduates' Association.  

Power said: "As we emerge from over two years of Covid restrictions, I look forward to the role of president of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland with some trepidation but more so with excitement and hope in the knowledge that it is engineers and engineering, more than any other profession can hold their heads high as the ones contributing most to the betterment of society both locally and worldwide.

"The war in Ukraine, fuel prices and energy shortages, inflation and a potential recession, the impact of Brexit and political uncertainty – all of which are very much outside our control – and not to mention domestic issues here at home, together suggest that the period ahead of us is going to be challenging in the extreme.

'Where the real value lies'

"Engineers are at the centre of the solutions needed to ensure a decent future for the next generation and their kids after them. We should be proud to assume this leadership role and never be afraid to let everybody else, particularly the decision makers at all levels, know that it is in engineers and engineering where the real value lies and not with other professions that equate contribution to the rates they charge. This promotion of the real difference made by engineers and engineering has always been a challenge for our profession, which I suggest is the most giving of all professions.

"We also owe it to those engineers who have delivered so much in the past, here at home in Ireland and elsewhere, to stand up and be counted as the Profession that delivers the right solutions and adds value.

"The quality of so much of what we enjoy today is because of the ingenuity, application and vision of our engineering predecessors – things like our infrastructure, medical device advances, communications, transport, water quality and not forgetting that we have eight or nine times more acreage under water than on land (with enormous potential if we get our planning regulations sorted), the work done on our coastlines and indeed offshore by those pioneers involved in the construction of the many lighthouses that have saved thousands of lives over time, and there’s much much more.

"Are things perfect, not at all, but let’s never forget that we are judging things from a continuously improving situation. These improvements must also of course be able to satisfy our ethical standards in a world where “doing the right thing” isn’t always the chosen course of action.

'Some wonderful engineers'

"I assume the presidency of Engineers Ireland and most humbly follow in the footsteps of some wonderful engineers with whom I would never ever compare myself. The many other disciplines of engineering that have emerged since I qualified 47 years ago in 1975 have, however, only strengthened my belief that had I my time over again I would definitely choose engineering for a career – my dilemma would be which discipline to go for – such is the challenge, excitement, opportunity, contribution and enjoyment afforded those who pursue any of the engineering disciplines, let alone the privilege of making a real difference for good.

"It will be an honour to serve as your president for the next 12 months. And as I see it, after the massive disruption visited on us by Covid, as individuals, companies, and as an economy now is as good a time as any to further take stock, appreciate the very many challenges, engage with all stakeholders, appreciate different views in delivering our evidenced based decisions and move forward in the full knowledge that we will have further bumps on the road and recognise that we have no option but to move on because if we in engineering don’t, there will be too many others who won’t be able to.

Challenges

"Among the challenges we in Engineers Ireland face, apart from surviving and prospering as a business, are:

• Further raising the profile of the engineering profession
• Encouraging our expert members (and there are very many) to publicly voice their opinions in the critical challenges we all face including, sustainability, infrastructure, transport, water, waste management, renewables, nuclear power, biomedical advances, artificial intelligence and of course climate change – to name but a few.
• Who and what should Engineers Ireland represent in the years ahead and what might this body, founded in 1835, yes, it’s earliest manifestation was 187 years ago, look like in five or 10 years’ time? It could legitimately be suggested that never in it’s history has the organisation faced such a critical decade.
• And there are plenty of other challenges which I will allude to in September in my presidential address.

"Engineers Ireland is a leading advocate for STEM education, inspiring curiosity, exploration, creativity and problem-solving in children from an early age. We’re very proud of our STEPS Programme, a year-round strategic outreach programme that promotes interest and awareness in engineering as a future career to school students through a portfolio of projects such as the Engineering Your Future Programme, the STEPS Young Engineers Award and of course, STEPS Engineers Week.

"The success of these programmes is in no small part due to the energy and enthusiasm of our volunteers, and I would like to thank all our members who willingly and unselfishly give of their time and energy to support these projects.

Real strength of this organisation is in our volunteers

"The real strength of this organisation is in our volunteers and we can never forget this.

"It may interest you to know that in March of this year during Engineers Week, over 160,000 children registered directly with our STEPS programme. We’re delighted to see that more and more young people foster their creativity and innovation through engineering and see it for the exciting and diverse career it is, with work that is both satisfying and far-reaching.

"Hopefully as a country we are beginning to realise that the vast majority of jobs in the foreseeable future will have a significant technological element and that our politicians will make funding decisions for education with that in mind.

"And as I mention education and conscious that I follow as your president in the footsteps of one or Ireland’s leading engineering educators, the known and indeed unknown challenges engineers are asked to solve will always need to be considered in the development of our engineering course curriculums.

"In addition to this we all increasingly realise that we are no longer working in isolation with our engineering qualifications – we need to collaborate and communicate as never before and recognise that solutions are no longer one dimensional but require inputs from a variety of professionals working together in order to be truly effective.

"We can’t solve everything but must do more than our fair share because engineers know more about problem solving that most - hence the greater pressure on us. We haven’t shirked this responsibility in the past and I am sure we will rise to the occasion again, now that it has never been more needed.

"Before concluding this evening I’d like to mention some more of the issues Engineers Ireland will need to address in the years ahead. A number of these are old chestnuts such as:

• the inappropriate use of the title of 'Engineer',
• why only a limited % of qualified Engineers in the country are members of our institution
• the number of engineers entering politics,
• how can we entice a greater number of our members to be more active in Engineers Ireland,
• how will an ever-evolving profession fit within Engineers Ireland and defining the scope of our representation,
• convincing the powers that be of the true value of Chartership.”

L-R: Ed Harty, John Power and Laura Burke

Other inauguration

Also inaugurated to the role of vice-president at the professional membership body’s AGM was Laura Burke, director general of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Appointed to the role of director general of the EPA in 2011, Burke has served as a director within the organisation since 2004. She is also the chair of the European Environment Agency (EEA) Management Board.  

Burke is a graduate chemical engineer of University College Dublin, holds an MSc from Trinity College, Dublin, is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers of Ireland and is a chartered director. In 2016, she was awarded the UCD Engineering Graduates Association (EGA) Distinguished Graduate Award.

She said: “I am honoured to be elected as vice-president of Engineers Ireland. Engineers play a critical role in delivering innovative sustainable solutions to current and emerging societal issues such as climate change, and as vice-president, I look forward to working with president John Power and the wider membership to leverage the talent of our engineering community.”