Engineers: Making the Impossible Possible

Ever dreamed of solving climate change, building a floating city, or designing a robot that does your homework? Engineers don’t just build bridges—they build possibilities. From smart devices to spacecraft, engineering is the force behind the world’s most exciting innovations.

To inspire more Australians to see engineering as the creative, world-changing career it truly is, Engineers Australia launched its bold “Make It So” campaign—inviting everyday people to submit their most imaginative ideas and challenge engineers to bring them to life.

“If You Can Dream It, Engineers Can Build It”

That was the heart of the campaign. The goal? To raise awareness about what engineering actually involves—and to break outdated stereotypes that still linger around the profession.

From spray-on solar panels to underwater cars, the submissions poured in—ranging from practical to wild to visionary. And that’s exactly the point. Engineering turns imagination into reality through a mix of scientific knowledge, design thinking, and technical ingenuity.

“We want to bridge the gap between perception and reality,” said Peter Taylor, former CEO of Engineers Australia. “Many Australians struggle to understand what engineers do. But nearly everything we use—from phones to public transport—is touched by an engineer.”

Whether you’re a practicing engineer, a student, or just someone who loves solving problems, the campaign encouraged participants to register as advocates, submit ideas, comment, and share innovations via social media.

Want to become an engineer yourself? Explore our online engineering courses and take the first step toward designing the future.

What Is Engineering, Really?

Ask someone what an engineer does, and you’ll likely hear “builds bridges” or “designs machines.” But the truth is much broader. Engineers work across industries—medicine, energy, agriculture, space, tech, and more.

They’re involved in:

• Developing renewable energy solutions
• Designing self-driving cars and drones
• Creating life-saving medical devices like cochlear implants
• Engineering the systems behind sustainable cities

And with Australia currently facing a national engineering skills shortage, the opportunities for future engineers have never been stronger. In fact, engineering consistently ranks as one of the most recommended career paths, even if the general public doesn’t always understand what it entails.

Defining a Career in Engineering

When asked to define engineering, past Engineers Australia campaign winner Daniel Indyk summed it up like this:

“Engineering is the discipline of using I(E)NGINUITY combined with the known laws of science to design and create devices and systems that improve the overall quality of life for humankind.”

From aerospace to biomedical, environmental to software, engineering fields are as varied as they are impactful. Whether you’re looking to work with infrastructure, innovation, or AI, there’s an engineering path to suit your interests and strengths.

Explore top engineering specialisations:

• Civil and structural engineering
• Environmental and sustainability engineering
• Software and systems engineering
• Mechanical and industrial engineering
• Biomedical and pharmaceutical engineering

Why Engineering Matters More Than Ever

Engineering isn’t just about technology—it’s about solving problems that make life better for everyone. In an era of global climate goals, ageing infrastructure, and rapid technological change, engineers are essential to building a safer, smarter, more sustainable world.

Whether you want to combat global warming, create space-based solutions, or help communities recover after natural disasters, engineering offers the tools—and the purpose—to make a difference.

So, got an idea that sounds impossible? That’s where engineering begins.