Electronics Weekly asks Dr Alf Roberts, CEO of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), which was created in the recent merger of the IEE and IIE, about the relevance of Chartered status for today's engineers.
EW. Why do engineers still need to take on chartered or incorporated status?
Alf Roberts. To demonstrate that they possess the requisite body of technical knowledge, the ability to apply that knowledge and to supervise others and, most importantly to demonstrate their commitment to a professional code of conduct and ethical behaviour.
EW. Who wants to become an engineer in an increasingly celebrity obsessed country?
AR. People who want to change the world for the better. Engineers will be vital to solving problems like climate change, personal and national security and third world poverty, I’m not sure celebrities have much to offer on these issues.
EW. Was membership and recruitment falling at the IEE and IIE?
AR. No, in fact the membership of both Institutions has grown in recent years.
EW. Do we have electronics trade body overload in the UK?
AR. That’s a question for the trade bodies. The IET is a professional body with a focus on qualifications, knowledge dissemination and the promotion of engineering and technology with an emphasis on the contribution they make to the well being of society.
EW. The engineering institutes have been around for over 100 years. Why do people still think an engineer is someone who fixes your washing machine?
AR. The title engineer has never been protected in the UK and consequently has been applied to a wide range of activities. The title Chartered Engineer, like Chartered Accountant, is protected and we believe most people know the significance of this.