WHEREAS, The week of February 18, 2024, to February 24, 2024, is being observed by state and national engineering organizations as Engineers Week, during which time a number of observances will take place in California; and

WHEREAS, Engineers Week is celebrating its 73rd anniversary with the theme “Welcome to the Future”; and

WHEREAS, Engineers Week promotes recognition among parents, teachers, and students of the importance of a technical education and a high level of mathematics, science, and technology literacy, and motivates youth to pursue engineering careers and participate in a diverse and vigorous engineering workforce; and

WHEREAS, California leads the world in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, inspiring and preparing all of its students to seize the opportunities of the global society through innovation, inquiry, collaboration, and creative problem solving; and

WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 1,700,000 practicing engineers in the United States, and according to the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, there are over 96,000 active, licensed engineers in the State of California; and

WHEREAS, Engineers’ work drives our economy, and many experts predict that the United States needs to produce more engineers in order to meet future demand and to stay competitive in the global marketplace; and

WHEREAS, Engineers practice in a number of important specialties, including civil, mechanical, electrical, structural, geotechnical, chemical, control systems, fire protection, nuclear, industrial, petroleum, metallurgical, agricultural, and traffic, and through these special disciplines, a complete range of engineering services is provided to both the private and public sectors in California; and

WHEREAS, Professional engineers are leaders in the development of more efficient, environmentally sustainable, technologically advanced designs relating to water quality, sewage treatment, sanitary engineering, flood control, structural integrity of buildings and bridges, seismic safety, cleanup of hazardous waste and toxic sites, and public transportation, including highways, rail, waterways, and airports; and

WHEREAS, California’s engineers apply their unique knowledge and skill to help communities grow, thrive, and remain safe, and are truly dedicated to building a better California; and

WHEREAS, It is appropriate at this time to recognize the contributions of engineering professionals to the betterment of humankind; now, therefore, be it