While Engineering Technicians play a key role in the development and implementation of new engineering technologies, and in the design and construction of high quality, safe, and environmentally compliant buildings, the Engineering Council says under one per cent of all such UK professional personnel are currently registered at EngTech level.
It has thus launched a campaign to promote registration among the almost 1.2 million potential technicians that it believes are eligible. Backed by the Professional Engineering Institutes (PEIs), including IHEEM, the Project TRaM (Technician Registration and Membership) initiative was recently given added impetus via an independent Engineering Council-commissioned survey which sought to discover why registration levels are so low, and what benefits would persuade technician engineers to seek registration. Kevin Dinnage, TRaM project manager, at the Engineering Council, reports.
In March 2012 the Technician Council (which is currently operated and managed jointly by the Engineering Council and the Science Council) reported that the UK will need an estimated 450,000 new or replacement professional STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) technician roles by 2020.1 Technicians make up over half of the nation’s professional engineering population,2 and are an essential component of the capability the profession provides to UK plc. All engineers will know full well that, without the practical skills and technical competence of engineering technicians, new technologies would never get beyond the drawing board; buildings and plant would never be constructed to enduring high standards, and the safety and environmental integrity of any equipment in operation could never be assured. Yet despite this, while the professionalism of over a third of those who have graduated in engineering is publicly recognised through the achievement of Incorporated or Chartered status – entitling them to the postnominals ‘IEng’ or ‘CEng’ and full membership of their institution – the equivalent professional recognition which is available to technicians – ‘EngTech’ – has been taken up by less than 1 per cent of the potential population. As a consequence, the registered membership of the Professional Engineering Institutions does not mirror the profession they represent. If it were to do so, there would be almost 300,000 (rather than 14,500) EngTech registered members.3
‘Step change’ increase required
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