As one of the world-class cities, Hong Kong attaches great importance to sustainable development. Environmental consideration is an integral part of the operation of any organization and any major plan, programme and project. As the society progresses, the need for Environmental Engineers is clearly evident and has become even more so in light of new environmental challenges any organization or any society is now facing. .
In the process of generating economic value through infrastructural development, an Environmental Engineer is a Libra that provides a proper balance between economic development and environmental protection, avoids or mnimises any environmental impacts, adds values to any organization from an environmental perspective, seeks practicable and innovative solutions to environmental challenges with a view to harmonising development and the environment, and exploring environmental opportunities for creating and sustaining a better society. In order to provide a healthy and qualitative living area for the public and maintain the competitiveness of Hong Kong, the Environmental Engineer makes great contribution in proactively addressing the problems of environmental pollution, nature resource constraints and climate change.
Nowadays, environmental engineering is no longer limited to the improvement of air quality, noise mitigation, waste and wastewater treatment, but also the ecological conservation, energy efficiency, sustainable development, etc. To cope with specific and difficult problems, the Environmental Engineer needs to dabble in multi engineering disciplines and to cooperate with other professionals from various industries. During the formulation of the implementation of environmental mitigation measures, the Environmental Engineer is responsible for developing environmental solutions and resolving the disagreement between the parties involved in the project. Apart from the promotion of environmental sustainability, the responsibility of the Environmental Engineer also includes the management of human resources which is challenging.
The Scheme “A” Training of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) is the key access of the career development in Environmental Engineering. The 3-year training programme provides environmental engineering graduate trainees with the opportunity to involve in various mega infrastructure projects and to obtain practical experiences in planning, design, construction and operation as well as project management. It aims to fostering the development in trainees of the abilities required by a Registered Environmental Engineer.
As compared with other engineering disciplines, the job nature of environmental engineering is more interesting and diverse. Environmental Engineers always have the opportunities to visit aboard, attend the regional and international meetings and conferences, so as to obtain the latest information about the development of this industry and the state-of-the-art technologies. There are 15 approved organizations offering the HKIE Scheme “A” Training in environmental discipline for engineering graduates to develop their career.
The Government has mapped out clear targets and policies with multi-pronged approach for improving air quality, waste management, energy conservation and combating climate change over the years. Through providing forward-looking professional advices on the sustainable development for the community, the Environmental Engineer plays an indispensable role in the implementation of these planned measures and work plans.
The market of environmental engineering in Hong Kong has been enlarged since 2010. Compared with the market value of approximately HKD5,603 million in 2010, the increase in compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was about 6.8% in 2014 with the market value approximately HKD7,292 million. The starting salary of the Environmental Engineer is about 20K, and 50K for those who have 3 to 4-year experiences. With more environmental engineers becoming environmental leaders, their prospects would be further enhanced.
There is a high development potential of environmental protection industry in Hong Kong. Besides with the rising societal aspirations for better and sustainable quality of life, more companies make corporate social responsibility and sustainable development as the cornerstones of business success. Hence, it is foreseeable that the talent demand with relevant expertise will gradually increase.
The industry needs more innovative thinking and technologies to confront and deal with the global environmental issues, such as water purification, waste-to-energy, recycling, and the extreme weather in recent years. Meanwhile, the Government and major organisations in Hong Kong are actively promoting various environmental protection measures and continuously implements the mega environmental infrastructures.
Environmental engineering will greatly contribute to the development of Hong Kong as a whole. Therefore, we need more young environmental engineers to take part in preserving the city’s charm of Hong Kong, providing a quality living environment and making Hong Kong a better city for all.
