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During the BOMA International 2024 Annual Conference, our Workforce Development Committee meeting convened to discuss the importance of expanding membership in all areas across our national and international BOMA locals. Engineering was one of the areas and topics of discussion during the meeting, as BOMA strives to expand inclusion in membership beyond property owners and managers. BOMA Orlando’s Executive Director Joe Grimes and Cushman & Wakefield’s Senior Chief Engineer Suresh Balgobind, SMA, FMA, RPA, LEED GA shared the Engineering Breakfast initiatives they launched and their encouragement for other locals to expand their engineering network. In addition, Luci Smith, BOMA Fellow, FMA, RPA and Chair-Elect, shared her thoughts regarding how we can build the pipeline of engineers for members and locals and the successful turnout of 65 engineers that attended the Philadelphia conference.
Read the below insights to learn more about how BOMA is expanding its engineering initiatives:
Engineering Initiative History
“The issue of expanding the engineering membership base has been present for a while now,” says Luci Smith, BOMA Fellow, FMA, RPA and Chair-Elect. “The building engineer group, starting in Orlando back in 2011, included members that were already at the senior level, but it was difficult to get entry-level members involved.” Suresh Balgobind, Senior Chief Engineer, Cushman & Wakefield identified this issue as well, including the shortage of engineers that has been present for some time now. In fact, according to a finding by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) , their data indicates that the demand for engineering skills will grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033. The BOMA Workforce Advocacy and Workforce Development Committees, as Smith discussed, are working hard to address these issues and build up the pipeline of engineers for our members and in our locals. “What we’ve discovered is that if we’re getting these committees active in building our engineering base – shouldn’t we have an engineering committee as well? From there, I presented a proposal to the executive committee, they graciously approved it and starting in January 2025 we will have a national engineering committee.”
Engineering Breakfasts Involvement
When addressing the need for entry-level engineers, Luci described the initiatives that BOMA is spearheading, such as the Engineering Breakfasts that BOMA Orlando hosts quarterly. BOMA Orlando’s Executive Director Joe Grimes described the incredible turnout they’ve had at their breakfasts, which are free opportunities open to both members and non-members, so that property managers and non-engineers can also network and learn through these events. “We are interested in diversifying the network of attendees, to build mentorships and promote a better understanding between engineers and property managers alike,” Grimes says. Balgobind agrees and describes the importance of promoting female leadership and mentorship. “Our engineers can develop a partnership with senior engineers through these events, and the value of engineering from a tenant perspective is very high as they regard engineers as the heart of a building.” In addition to encouraging property managers to get involved, the breakfasts include insights from local authorities, fire marshals and law enforcement teams to gain perspectives, ensure buildings are using proper codes and that they have the necessary certifications to maintain their buildings operations.
Broadening Diversity and Inclusion in the Field
Throughout the BOMA leaders’ discussions about expanding engineering in their organization, they emphasized the significance in strengthening female leadership and diversity on the local, national and international levels. According to research by Boston Consulting Group , one of the key challenges to addressing the engineering gap is broadening diversity and inclusion, as only 16% of U.S. engineers are women, and Black Americans, Latinxs, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders are also underrepresented relative to their incidence in the population. Luci recognized this disparity while promoting the national engineering committee and emphasizes the need for amplifying women’s voices in the engineering fields. “On the personal level, my son is a chief engineer at JLL, and I hear from him too the many challenges in garnering interest for entry level to mid-level engineers from all backgrounds. This is why these engineering breakfasts that Joe and Suresh are offering are so integral, as they are open to both members and non-members, and it’s not necessary to have an engineering background.” Joe and Suresh are also doing work to bring more women through the doors in these breakfasts, but ultimately, Luci hopes that the national engineering committee that will launch in 2025 will encourage other locals to create their own engineering initiatives that will encourage this same level of diversity and openness.
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