Press releases
IET calls for professional engineering registration
25 April 2008
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) wants the Government to lead the drive towards professional registration for engineers.
Speaking at the House of Commons last evening (23 April), IET Chief Executive, Robin McGill, said, “The IET, as a professional body, strives to raise the standards of the engineering profession by accrediting undergraduate engineering schemes and company post graduate courses and by registering engineers against the internationally recognised EngTech, IEng and CEng standards because we believe these efforts will truly increase the competitiveness of UK plc in a very competitive world.
“Along with our many sister institutions we would encourage the Government to assist this process by requiring the appropriate professional registration within its own technical workforce and by insisting companies bidding for government contracts provide evidence of their professionalism and commitment to continuing professional development.”
Mr McGill was speaking to representatives from both Houses. Minister for Science and Innovation, Ian Pearson, said, “One of the main reasons the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was set up last June was to champion innovation across all sectors, working with partners across, and outside, Government.
“The UK can only succeed in a globalised world by creating a highly-skilled workforce that produces innovative high-value, products and services. Engineers and engineering are a very important part of this work.
“And engineers are essential to the process of turning new innovative ideas into practical products and services. They have the vision to conceive new solutions and to deliver well-designed products and services. Institutions, such as the IET, have a key role to play in promoting engineering in the UK.”
As part of its proactive approach, the IET is establishing a panel of experts specifically looking at innovation and emerging technologies. The new panel launches next week (30 April). The panel will identify technologies likely to have a global impact in the next five to ten years. It will also assist the IET in providing comment and input to consultations and Government policy on issues relating to innovation and research.
Contact:
Mary Donovan
IET News team
T: 01438 765587
M: 07970 036449
E: mdonovan@theiet.org
Notes to editors:
- The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is a world leading professional organisation working to develop science, engineering and technology;
- The IET dates from 1871 and has more than 154,000 members in 127 countries with offices in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. It provides a global knowledge network to facilitate the exchange of information;
- The IET registers more engineers each year than any other UK institution and approaching half the engineers on the Engineering Council register are IET members. More information, please see www.theiet.org;
- ‘Studying STEM: what are the barriers?’, a literature review across different countries of why students make the choices do at critical times in their studies. Download at www.theiet.org/stem.