By choosing a career in engineering, you could help all kinds of people
Engineers plan and design the world around us, including our offices, roads and even the apps we use. That world has traditionally catered to the average person, but as an engineer,you could use your skills to help make inclusivity the norm.
Engineers need not only maths and physics to get the job done, but design skills too. By using design thinking, they ensure that whatever they’re planning will be functional and usable for individuals with disabilities, the elderly and those from diverse backgrounds.
Inclusive engineering is all about building a world that actually works for everyone. It’s a smarter, fairer and, honestly, way more interesting way to design!
What can a career in inclusive engineering look like?
Civil engineers
In Australia, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 ensures there are legal obligations to consider accessibility when building new homes, buildings and roads. Imagine a civil engineer working on a new train station. They’re not just building a platform, they’re figuring out the best spots for ramps, ensuring level platform access to the train, and strategically placing those brightly circled tactile ground surface indicators (TGSIs) to warn people with vision impairments.
Software engineers
You know how frustrating it can be when a website is too complicated to use? Inclusive software engineers create websites and apps that are accessible for everyone. This means following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, ensuring the site has an easy interface, works with screen readers and has proper keyboard navigation
Biomedical engineers
These engineers look at designing better prosthetics that are easier to control, developing assistive devices that help people communicate, or creating accessible medical equipment. Their work is all about using engineering to break down barriers and improve quality of life for individuals with a wide range of needs
Fun fact!
According to the World Health Organisation, 2.5 billion people globally need access to assistive technology.
The accessible engineer
Luke August uses Indigenous knowledge to create more inclusive prosthetics for Māori amputees
Luke never wanted to sit in an office working on buildings or roads. Rather, he got into engineering to help people.
“Being both Indigenous and an engineer, I try to blend the two worlds that haven’t been able to coexist in the past,” he says.
Luke’s thesis looks at improving the quality of life for Māori upper limb amputees. For his research, he interviews amputees to better understand what assistive technology looks like for them.
“I think engineers get really caught up in designing stuff and not actually talking to the people who are going to use it. There’s no point designing the coolest thing in the world if it serves no purpose.”
He believes inclusive engineering is making headway. “It’s about making technology accessible for anyone, whether that be for able-bodied or disabled individuals, but also ensuring we’re creating tech for our older generations who may not be as tech-savvy.”
Read more of Luke’s story here.
This article originally appeared in Careers with STEM: Engineering 2025.
