ACECL August 2022 ENewsletter

August 31, 2022

2022 PLATINUM ANNUAL SPONSORS!

ACECL BOARD OF GOVERNORS

The ACECL Board of Governors will meet on September 16, 2022

Engineering the Workforce of Tomorrow

When you enter parenthood, a lot of things…no... everything changes as it relates to the life you once knew. Other than the gigantic shift from living for yourself to living for another, or now three in my case, you notice smaller changes in your pastimes, the music you listen to, and the movies you watch.

Speaking of movies, the other night I was watching Cars with my boys and a particular scene struck me differently than it had the previous eighty-seven times I had seen it. In the scene, Lightning McQueen (racecar) and Tow Mater (tow truck) are returning from some good ole fashion cow/tractor tipping when Mater gives Lightning a lesson in, dare I say, “reverse” psychology. After an impressive display of backwards driving, Mater says to an awestruck Lightning, “Ain’t no need to watch where I’m going. Just need to know where I’ve been.”

My usual takeaway from Mater’s quote had always been that the experiences of our past help direct the decisions of our future. But on this particular night, the paradigm shifted. Having always analyzed the quote from Mater’s, or better yet, my own perspective, I failed to understand how Lightning perceived this. To a racecar, the concept of driving backwards was inconceivable. Something he never even thought about. I mean, he didn’t even have rearview mirrors! To him, backwards meant slow or losing – something a racecar couldn’t be nor do.

This got me thinking about the engineering industry and how we can attract the best and brightest to join us. While it may seem obtuse to compare a character in a children’s movie to the workforce issue facing our industry, I could not help but see a correlation between Lightning’s inability to drive backwards and our abilities to attract the next generation of workers to the field of engineering. For many kids who are making their way through primary and secondary schools, engineering is like driving backwards – something they can’t be or do. Whether it is the lack of exposure to engineering from an educational, community, or cultural perspective, children are not recognizing the opportunities the business of engineering can provide them. Allow me to elaborate.

STEM educational and awareness initiatives have really taken off over the last several years but there are still gaps to be filled as it relates to mentorship in the classroom and showing kids what’s possible. As professionals in the industry, we need to be more intentional about partnering with the schools in our communities to establish mentorship programs or engineering exposure events so we can show the next generation worker the incredible world of engineering. I’ve always said, it’s one thing to have your math teacher say you should pursue a career in engineering, but it’s another to have an engineer tell you this. It plants a seed of confidence a child needs early on to thrive later.

Since joining ACECL, I have communicated to our Board and our members that I want to prioritize partnering with educational systems and institutions around the state to share with students of all ages the impressive work our firms do. Most importantly, I want to expose kids to a future career – one they may now perceive as something they can’t be nor do. This is exactly what Mater does for Lightning in the scene I shared above – he shows him what he can do before he believes it himself.

Later in the movie, Lightning drives backwards to pass a rival racecar during the biggest race of his career. From the pit crew, Mater shouts, “Hey, I taught him that!!” I encourage you and your firms to channel your inner Mater and share your professional experiences with a kid who otherwise may never know or understand that engineering is for them. Help a kid or young adult understand where they’re going, by sharing with them where you’ve been.

Since this article originally appeared in the May LES Journal, ACECL has already begun to organize advisory groups with state community and technical colleges that will identify curriculum adjustments that will better meet our industry workforce needs, established a Lafayette Chapter sponsorship program with South Louisiana Community College, and started to compile partnership opportunities at the primary and secondary education levels where member firms can support K-12 STEM programs in schools across the state.

If you are interested in learning more about these workforce initiatives or would like to participate in our HR Forum (Committee) which is serving as the catalyst for these efforts, I encourage you to email me at bdirmann@acecl.org.

ADVOCACY NEWS

Block on Federal Contractor Vaccine Mandate Lifted

A recent court ruling has lifted the nationwide injunction blocking the enforcement of Executive Order 14042, the Federal Contractor Vaccine mandate. Specifically, the court found that the nationwide scope of the Georgia court’s injunction was overbroad and that the injunction should provide relief only to the parties in the lawsuit: Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina, Utah, and West Virginia, and the members of the Associated Builders and Contractors.

Thus far, the executive branch has not signaled any changes in enforcement, but firms should prepare for that. It is believed that this may trigger additional court actions, including other regional injunctions being adjusted or modified to include new parties/states.

ACEC has made clear in our outreach to the Biden Administration, that no matter how well intended vaccination requirements are, this would be disruptive to the essential work our members perform for their federal clients. We understand the Administration’s goals of bringing this pandemic to a close, but it has been made clear by the thousands of companies we represent that implementation would be difficult, leading to unintended consequences and disruptions in the services we provide to our federal clients.

It is being reported that the Department of Justice is reviewing this ruling and that until the DOJ takes a position, the Government does not plan to enforce the relevant contract language. As of this morning, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force has not yet updated its website to account for the Eleventh Circuit ruling. However, contractors outside of the states that remained covered by court injunctions should resume preparations to ensure that all “covered contractor employees,” as defined by the task force’s guidance, are vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a religious or medical exemption from vaccination.

We will provide special updates and legal analysis on this topic as they become available.

LUNCHEON INFORMATION

New Orleans Chapter Luncheon

Thursday, September 8, 2022

Metairie Country Club

Speaker:

Mayor Clay Madden of Mandeville

Topic:

"Mandeville State of the City and Capital Projects"

Click Here to Register

2022 ROBBY CANGELOSI AWARD

Each year ACEC of Louisiana presents an award to recognize the accomplishments of a young professional engineer who is contributing to the engineering profession and demonstrating the ability to positively impact the community through professional accomplishments and community involvement. This award was implemented in 2015 in memory of our past Board Member, friend, and leader in the engineering community, Robby Cangelosi.

Please find attached the Nomination Form, along with the criteria, to apply for the 2022 Robby Cangelosi Award . As we had a great number of applications submitted last year, we encourage those applicants to once again apply this year, and also request that firm principals encourage our emerging engineering leaders to apply.

This 2022 award will be presented at the ACEC/L Annual Fall Conference awards luncheon which will be held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on November 3, 2022 at the Marriott Hotel.

Also, please note the application for the 2022 award is due in our office no later than close of business on OCTOBER 5, 2022 by hand-delivery or mailing to:

ACEC/Louisiana, Attn: The Robby Cangelosi Award

9643 Brookline Avenue, Suite 112

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809

Past Award Recipients

2021 - Bliss Kelley Bernard, P.E.

2020 - Brian E. Moldaner, P.E., MBA

2019 - David G. LeBreton, Jr., P.E.

2018 - James S. Ellingburg, P.E.

2017 - Andrew Woodroof, P.E.

2016 - Kimberly D. McDaniel, P.E.

2015 - Kevin C. O’Gorman, P.E.

Nomination Form

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me.

Janet Tomeny

Vice President

ACEC of Louisiana

Office: (225) 927-7704

Email: jtomeny@acecl.org

Call For Sponsors!

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Louisiana (ACECL) is pleased to extend this invitation to you and your company to join our Platinum Annual Sponsors in supporting the 2022 ACECL Fall Conference.

The one-day conference gives members the opportunity to hear firsthand from local, state and federal industry and governmental leaders offering their business expertise in both the public and private sectors.

The support provided by Sponsors is crucial to the success of our events each year and becoming an event sponsor gives you the opportunity to increase your company’s exposure. Available sponsorship opportunities for the 2022 Fall Conference are described below:

Sponsorship Opportunities

PLATINUM SPONSORS ($2,000)

᛫Two (2) complimentary Fall Conference registrations

᛫Recognition on all event promotional literature (your company's logo) including ACECL website & press releases

᛫Signage at Fall Conference including event program