This year marked a major step forward in how Engineering New Zealand partners with its technical groups, special interest groups and collaborating technical societies. These groups are where members come together to share expertise, challenge thinking, build capability and advance the profession. They’re often the first point of connection for many engineers, and they play a vital role in shaping Engineering New Zealand’s identity, direction and impact.

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Recognising this, strengthening how we work with our groups has been one of our biggest priorities over the past 12 months. In 2024, we undertook a comprehensive review to understand how groups operate and how we can better support and empower them. Over nine months, our team and Group Chairs led an extensive engagement process involving committee members, staff and the wider membership.​

 

The outcome is a future-focused Groups Strategy – a clear plan for strengthening the connection between Engineering New Zealand and the groups. It focuses on improving how groups are supported, expanding their reach and impact and creating new ways for members to meaningfully engage in their work. This strategy is ultimately about partnership and how we work together to deliver stronger outcomes for Aotearoa New Zealand.

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Alongside the strategy, we developed a detailed implementation plan to guide how we’ll bring these commitments to life. As we move into this phase, continued collaboration with groups will be essential, especially as we develop new ways of working with the groups across advocacy, marketing and continuing professional development.

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Our groups make Engineering New Zealand stronger and the importance of them is reflected in our growth. Over the past year, group membership increased by around 11–12 percent, showing just how valued these communities are. They amplify our collective expertise, extend our reach and help build a connected and future-ready profession. We’re excited for what comes next - and look forward to working alongside our groups to make it happen.​​