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8 IESL NEWS ‘It’s a matter of improving your other skills ….. if you wish to lead.’" IESL President tells Engineers. A course on ‘Management Development for Engineers’ organized by the CPD Committee of the IESL as part of its Continues Professional Development Programme commenced on Saturday, 25th August 2012 at the IESL headquarters. The course will be conducted over 7 consecutive Saturdays. Eng.W.J.L.S Fernando, Chairman – CPD Committee and Vice President, IESL conducted the inaugural lecture on ‘Role of Engineer in the Society’. The Course Coordinator is Eng. Bernard Perera. 30 students are currently following the course.The full text of the speech by the President, IESL, Eng. (Dr.) Ananda Ranasinghe delivered at its inauguration is carried below for its relevance to the engineer readership of the SLEN. "Firstly I am thankful to the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Committee for organizing this seminar to run spanning for 7 consecutive Saturdays. The Chairman, Eng. Shavi Fernando, has taken the responsibility of delivering the first lecture on ‘The Role of an Engineer in Society’. CPD has become very important for all professionals including engineers to enhance their careers. The CPD system commenced about 10 years ago and the IESL also has adopted this scheme for professional engineers. Internationally it has been identified that professionals who are practicing in various fields should enhance their knowledge during their career in order to serve the general public in a better way. CPD is also beneficial to the individual professional as, if one does not continue with studies or reading other relevant materials which are being practiced today, such person or professional will be left far behind the others. For e.g. when we graduated from Universities more than 35 years ago we were taught certain subjects which may not be applicable in the field of industry today. Apart from this, certain subjects are being developed to an extent we would not have imagined possible while practicing engineering today had we not obtained such experience and academic qualifications. Surveying is a typical example where we have used normal theodolite, levels etc. in order to take measurements and elevations. However, now it has been completely changed whereas our engineers are now using Total Workstation which may be very convenient to use, but one must have some understanding about such equipment and methods. Apart from these technological improvements unlike previously, the engineer is more responsible with regard to safety of worksites. Workmen’s rights have been improved over a period of time and for every accident that is happening at the site, the engineer is answerable and he cannot evade from his responsibilities by merely paying compensation. In some countries a criminal responsibility would lie upon the engineer. One cannot send a person to work at heights without having proper safety equipment. Even if a worker falls from an elevation due to his own mistake, the engineer should be able to justify that he has introduced a workable system which every workman is expected to follow. Mere negligence of the worker cannot be claimed to relieve the engineer’s responsibilities. Engineers are also responsible for the cost of the project. The investor may not have a bottomless bucket to spend money without limit in any project. During the development of construction the contractor has made huge profits as there was very little competition among the contractors. Therefore, when the engineer does a mistake you could ask the contractor to rectify it without causing additional cost to the employer as the contractor could absorb such expenses due to his large profit margin. However, this luxury is not available anymore to the present day engineer. The construction industry is now very competitive and the contractor will attempt to extract every penny from the employer if there is a mistake on the part of the engineer. Quite often contractors are more knowledgeable and qualified than the engineer themselves as they are prepared to hire expensive lawyers, engineers etc. to defend their claims. Therefore, the present day engineer also should equip himself with knowledge in order to safeguard his position. This knowledge cannot be achieved merely by reading engineering text books. One has to have a general knowledge about law, quantity surveying, architecture, economics etc. like related fields in the engineering industry. Project Management is another field which you have to be familiar with. The engineer should also be able to read a financial statement as otherwise a person who does not have any knowledge in engineering might tell you what to do. Engineers are supposed to have the best analytical skills and therefore it is a matter of improving your other skills and the jargon the other professionals are using if you wish to lead the construction field. I am not sure whether you are aware of the fact that quantity surveyors are now claiming that they should be project managers as they are aware of the cost of the project at any given time. Therefore, they can provide valuable information to the employer in respect of the employer’ financial commitment. This is the most important thing in a project. Therefore, whether we like it or not, if we are not acquainted with some of the subjects which I have mentioned earlier, engineers will be pushed back to play a secondary role in the construction industry. Communication skill is another important area which one has to acquire for himself. This was never a subject in the universities in the past. I have never made a presentation or a talk in any of the university functions or seminars. Now I believe that the final year students have to make a presentation about their projects. These things go a long way in order to model your career. The people who were very unfortunate not to have exposure in these important areas have to take an interest to develop these skills at least when they are practicing in the industry. That is the very reason CPD has been introduced to practicing professionals. Contd. on page 11.... Sri Lanka Engineering News - August 2012 EVENT PHOTOS OF THE EASTERN PROVINCIAL CENTRE CPD COURSE ON 'REPORT WRITING TECHNIQUES' Resource Person : - Eng. N. Kamaladasa, C.E.O Distance Learning Centre Ltd Venue : - R.D.I. Office, Kallady, Batticaloa. Date : - 21.07.2012
Sri Lanka Engineering News - August 2012 SERVING ON COMMITTEES Corporate and Associate Members interested in serving in the following Standing/Sectional Committees of the Institution during the Session 2012/2013 are kindly requested to furnish the information requested so that they could be forwarded to the Chairmen of the respective Committees for appropriate action. A. Standing Committees • Continuing Professional Development Committee Development and Professional Affairs Committee Education and Training Committee Finance and Administration Committee Library, Publications , Publicity and Conferences Committee Membership Committee These Standing Committees will be chaired by the President/President-Elect/Vice President as the case may be. B. Sectional Committees • Agricultural and Plantation Engineering Sectional Committee • Building Services Engineering Sectional Committee • Civil Engineering Sectional Committee • Chemical and Process Engineering Sectional Committee • Electrical and Electronics Engineering Sectional Committee • Information Technology and Communication Engineering Sectional Committee • Mechanical Engineering Sectional Committee Please note in case of Sectional Committees the members can opt to serve only in the Committees pertaining to their respective disciplines. By serving as a member of any of the above mentioned committees, the members will get an opportunity to make contributions for the betterment of the Institution in particular and the engineering profession in general. The Committees generally meet once a month on a weekday at around 5.15 p.m. If you wish to be a member of any of these committees please furnish via email to iesl@slt.lk to us on or before September 30, 2012 the information requested below: …................................................................................................ NAME WITH INITIALS MEMBERSHIP NUMBER DISCIPLINE TELEPHONE NUMBERS MAILING ADDRESS NAME OF THE COMMITTEEES (PLEASE TICK THE APPROPRIATE CAGE) Continuing Professional Development Committee Development and Professional Affairs Committee Education and Training Committee Finance and Administration Committee Library, Publications, Publicity and Conferences Committee Membership Committee Agricultural and Plantation Engineering Sectional Committee Building Services Engineering Sectional Committee Civil Engineering Sectional Committee Chemical and Process Engineering Sectional Committee Electrical and Electronics Engineering Sectional Committee Information Technology and Communication Engineering Sectional Committee Mechanical Engineering Sectional Committee IESL NEWS AN APPEAL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BENEVOLENT FUND Yesterday Yesterday Yesterday Yesterday Yesterday it it it it it was was was was was someone someone someone someone someone else. else. else. else. else. Today Today Today Today Today also also also also also it it it it it is is is is is someone someone someone someone someone else else else else else BUT BUT BUT BUT BUT tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow it it it it it could could could could could be be you you or or your your dependents dependents dependents..... The IESL Benevolent Fund provides financial assistance to members or their dependents in distress whether it is due to a sickness, a family bereavement or financial hardship. Last year the fund provided assistance to the value of nearly Rs 480,000/= to a total of eight members and to the wife of one deceased member. This year we have made a contribution of Rs 60,000/= to a member whose son had undergone a kidney transplant. The hospital cost of the patient itself has exceeded Rs 700,000/= and the member concerned has to meet post operation costs on medication as well. Out of a total membership of almost 16000, so far only about 1500 members have contributed to the fund. It is just about 10% of the total membership. Isn’t it quite disturbing? The total contributions received was only about Rs 300,000/=. As you may know, the Benevolent Fund is maintained only with your own voluntary contributions. We appeal to you this time to contribute to the fund when you pay your subscriptions, by contributing just Rs 200/= or more and make it richer so that more and more of our own colleagues in need could be provided with assistance in their hours of need! The Board of Management of the Fund has decided to increase to Rs 300.00 the minimum contribution expected from members next year. We also wish to appeal to the members whose annual subscriptions are paid for by the relevant organizations where they are employed to be mindful of the Benevolent Fund and make a donation, if necessary from their own funds, to this social service carried out by the IESL. Yes, your contribution may be only a small sum. Yet, when in distress, even this small sum will mean very much to the person concerned who can even be you or me and it will also go quite a long way in relieving him/her somewhat of his/her distress. On behalf of the Board of Management of the Benevolent Fund, let me make this appeal to you to look forward to the future and contribute to the Benevolent Fund today itself! THANK YOU! ENG. B R O FERNANDO CHAIRMAN - BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF THE BENEVOLENT FUND 9
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