Engineering and Technology Board announced for UK

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Feb 16, 2001

The Engineering and Technology Board is a new UK body that will support the engineering and technology sector and assist professionals in marketing their skills in a rapidly changing marketplace

Science Minister Lord Sainsbury today announced the creation of the Engineering and Technology Board, a new body that will support the vital engineering and technology sector and assist professionals in marketing their skills in a rapidly changing marketplace.

The Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) is the first initiative to be introduced in response to findings presented by The Hawley Group, a task force chaired by Dr Robert Hawley, Chairman of the Engineering Council.

The Hawley Group was established 16 months ago with Government backing to set the course that the Engineering Council should follow in order to maximise the value of engineering and technology skills in the 21st Century economy.

Lord Sainsbury said: "If engineering and technology are to achieve their potential in terms of their contribution to our economy and society, there are a number of changes that the engineering community are going to have to make.

We must make sure that all our young scientists and engineers have the chance to gain managerial and entrepreneurial skills when they are young.

And we must make certain that engineers of all kinds have the opportunity to keep their skills up-to-date in the rapidly changing world in which we live.

What the new Engineering and Technology Board will be seeking to do in these and similar areas fits in very well with what the government is hoping to achieve more broadly.

It is all part of the process of increasing the competitiveness of industry in the knowledge economy and making the best use of the exceptionally talented engineers and technologists we have in this country." Lord Sainsbury and Dr Hawley intend the new Board to be fully up and running by October 2001.

To make this a reality, a shadow board, chaired by Dr Hawley is to be established.

The shadow Board will oversee six working groups, chaired by senior Industry figures, academics and representatives of the engineering profession.

The groups will look at: * The Constitution and Governance of the new Board; * Business and industry needs; * Communication; * Attracting greater membership of institutions and registration; * Education and training; and * Continuing professional development.

Out of a talent pool of 2 million people across the engineering and technology community, just 600,000 are currently members of the 34 professional institutions, which oversee engineers' continuing professional development.

A key role of the new ETB is to help promote continuous professional development (CPD) - critically important for keeping pace with leading edge technology and maintaining safety - and ensure CPD reflects the needs of business and industry.

On today's announcement, Dr Robert Hawley comments: The new Engineering and Technology Board will be a totally different organisation from the existing Engineering Council.

This is not a simple name change nor a piece of window dressing.

'The Engineering and Technology Board will be fundamentally different in structure, purpose, image - and ability to influence.

It will be strategically robust, lean, relevant and respected for the value it can bring to the wider engineering and technology community.

This is about working on behalf of - and for the benefit of - the wider engineering and technology community.

The prize is a significant contribution to wealth creation and to Britain's economic competitiveness.'.