Presidential Blog: Collaboration and commitment

Presidential Blog: Collaboration and commitment

24th March 2025

The latest thoughts and updates from IChemE President Mark Apsey MBE.

It’s been a period of intense collaboration. Earlier this month, I had the privilege of meeting with the presidents and CEOs of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). This gathering was more than just an informal meeting; it was a convergence of ideas and a testament to the power of interdisciplinary collaboration.

We discussed topics of mutual importance and agreed the general need for enhanced collaboration between our institutions. By working together, we can amplify our impact and drive meaningful change across all engineering disciplines.

One topic we can usefully collaborate on is promoting the value of chartered status to employers and government. It’s crucial we highlight the benefits to ensure our members are recognised for their expertise and professionalism. We also discussed the immediate issue of re-skilling to tackle current shortages in the workforce and the importance of celebrating early career engineers who have already joined our community. By combining forces, we can create more opportunities to recognise and support the next generation of engineering talent.

Skills were again on the agenda in late February, when IChemE hosted a roundtable on defossilising the chemical industry. We brought together experts from industry, academia, government, and the third sector to discuss how we can transition away from fossil fuels. Two prominent themes emerged: the need for a clear vision for the future of the chemical industry and the critical role of a skilled workforce for bringing about change. Recent world events, from record low levels of global sea ice to unprecedented winter temperatures in the Arctic, underscore the urgency of our mission. They are stark reminders of the stakes involved. I urge all of you to take these discussions to heart and to act within your spheres of influence.

Remember there are also IChemE resources including those on the Sustainability Hub that can support your activities and development. Together, we can drive the change needed to engineer a sustainable world for generations to come.

I always welcome any feedback, and value any input or ideas – you can contact me at president@icheme.org.

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