"The great challenges of our time are well summarized in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) of the United Nations. For none of these goals can I think of lasting solutions in which technicians:indoors and engineers:indoors do not play a key role. So there is a lot of meaningful work to be done. That should inspire our youth to pitch in." (Image above: Yvonne Bettkober)

The answers from Yvonne Bettkober, General Manager Amazon Web Services Switzerland and Austria:

When and in what context did you first hear about Engineers' Day (at the time)?

I first heard about World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development at the end of 2019, when it was first proclaimed by UNESCO. A year later, I was asked to be involved in Switzerland's Engineers' Day in 2021.

You have prominently volunteered to be a patron member. Why are you involved in this event?

I have always been passionate about technology and I strongly believe that it is one of the keys to changing the world for the better. Engineers' Day is a great format to show the positive impact engineering professions have on our everyday lives and the economy. But also to put the spotlight on the people behind these achievements (the engineer:s and the technician:s). This is important to make these professions known to the next generation but also to promote a dialogue between the different disciplines.

What goal or goals would you highlight as the most important priority in terms of your involvement in Engineers' Day or in everyday life?

Switzerland's competitiveness is based on innovation and here engineering professions play a central role. And these professions need young talent and especially more women. Unfortunately, technical professions are often considered unattractive among young people. I myself studied engineering 30 years ago and at that time there were only 4 women in the whole department. So, on the one hand, we need more role models, and on the other hand, we need to focus more on the impact of these professions on people's everyday lives and not just on the product or the solution developed. 

Why do you think engineers and their achievements are not perceived enough in everyday life and what can engineers do about it?  

On the one hand, the performance of engineers is integrated into everyday life as a matter of course. And that's how it should be. When using a cell phone, talking to a navigation system or crossing a bridge, hardly anyone asks who built these solutions. However, as a result, the people and with them the professions are pushed into the background. We therefore need to focus more on the people but also have a platform that allows the broader population to learn about the diverse engineering professions. So engineers:inside should go out of their way and tell more about themselves and what they do. Just like the motto: "Do good and talk about it".

If you had one wish to have an even greater influence on the promotion of young talent, who would it be and what would it be?

We need to start empowering children very early with technology, methodological skills and critical thinking. Many children, regardless of gender, are interested in how things work. We need to integrate that into the school system early and in a fun way, starting at kindergarten and elementary school age. I think here we still have this idea that such topics are too difficult and the children are overtaxed. But I think the opposite is the case; provided the topics are taught in an age-appropriate and didactically sensible way. There is hardly a minute in our everyday lives when we are not interacting physically or virtually with technology. It must be our concern to prepare our children to assess technology as responsible citizens, to use it consciously and to apply it in a targeted manner.

Do you have another wish in connection with Engineers' Day?

Innovation is increasingly inter-disciplinary. Dialog between the technical professions will therefore play an increasingly central role. This exchange will accordingly play an even greater role and Engineers' Day is an excellent platform for this.

Which future challenge(s) do you see as the most important, for which we urgently need more engineers?

The major challenges of our time are well summarized in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) of the United Nations. For none of these goals can I imagine lasting solutions in which technicians and engineers do not play a key role. So there is a lot of meaningful work to be done. That should inspire our youth to get involved.

Thank you very much for this interview.

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