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If you’d love to make a real and tangible difference, choose engineering!
In this inspiring foreword, Gavin Blakey, OAM, long-time volunteer with Engineers Without Borders Australia, shares how engineering can be a force for good. From restoring clean water access in Timor-Leste to improving sanitation in Cambodia, Gavin’s career proves that engineers don’t just work with machines – they work with people, communities and purpose.
“Thanks to our work, 60,000 people have a reliable and resilient water supply.”
As an engineer, you can change the world. I’ve been part of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Australia for more than 10 years, and I’ve seen firsthand the difference engineering makes. At EWB, we’re committed to creating a world where tech benefits all. We work with local people to create sustainable solutions to community challenges. And every year, 10,000 first-year engineering students gain experience through the EWB Challenge.
One of the projects I’m most proud of was building a pipeline to supply fresh water to Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, after the original pipe was destroyed. Now, families don’t have to carry water for miles. Instead, water is delivered right to their doors.
Another of our projects improved sanitation for people in regional Cambodia, some of whom had never heard of a toilet. We developed and delivered safe, sustainable sanitation solutions using tech suited to the local conditions. In doing so, we transformed lives and helped preserve our planet.
At the high-tech extreme of the spectrum, I’ve also led a multi-million-dollar project to use cutting-edge flood automation to reduce flood risk.
There are so many engineering careers to choose from, and you can pick projects that align with your values. If you love solving problems, thinking up practical solutions and making a difference, you have a wealth of satisfying options ahead of you in engineering. This magazine will show you what it’s like to engineer solutions with and for people and the planet.
Let’s make a difference together.
– Gavin Blakey, OAM Volunteer, Engineers Without Borders Australia.
This article first appeared in Careers with STEM: Engineering 2025
