An Engine for Change - A Chronicle of the Engineering Council

2A CHRONICLE OF THE ENGINEERING COUNCILmay be controlled either by the local government (as for the Professional Engineer (PE) titlein the USA and Canada) or by the central government (as in France, Germany and otherEuropean countries for the Diploma Ingenieur (Dipl.Ing) or similar title).Only in the United Kingdom have there been historically numerous engineering Institutionseach with its own charter responsible for awarding qualifications, albeit with some informalmutual understanding about the levels of education and training required.Events leading to the formation of the Engineering CouncilThe reasons for, and the events leading to, the formation of the Engineering Council are fullydocumented in Grant Jordan’s excellent book Engineers and Professional Self-Regulationpublished by the Clarendon Press, Oxford in 1992. For those wishing to understand the wholedetailed story that book is compulsory (and at times compulsive) reading. Notwithstanding,we outline here a brief chronological summary of the main events and motivations:• 1771 – John Smeaton, a Fellow of the Royal Society and taking an interest inengineering, forms the Society of Civil Engineers as a dining club for members todiscuss engineering matters. The Society, after his death, is called The Smeatonians.• Early 19 th Century – Mechanics’ Institutes are formed throughout the UnitedKingdom.• 1818 – The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is founded [and granted a RoyalCharter in 1828]. Its object is to facilitate “the acquirement of knowledge necessary inthe civil engineering profession and for promoting mechanical philosophy”.• 1840, or thereabouts – A Mechanics’ Institute in the Midlands, the BirminghamRailway Engineers, becomes particularly interested in engines and locomotives ratherthan roads and bridges. Lead by George Stephenson, who is believed to apply to theICE but has his application rejected, in 1847 this group forms the Institution ofMechanical Engineers (IMechE) [Royal Charter granted 1930].This sets a pattern of fragmentation of the profession which continues as eachsuccessive branch of engineering establishes its own body – Naval Architecture in1860, Gas in 1863, Aeronautical in 1866, Electrical in 1871, Mining in 1889, Marinein 1889, Materials in 1889, Mining and Metallurgy in 1892, Water and Environmentalin 1895, Building Services in 1897, Foundrymen in 1904, Structural in 1908,Chemical in 1922, Energy in 1929, Measurement and Control in 1944, and ComputerScience in 1957. The formal names of these Institutions soon become:Royal Institution of Naval Architects [formed 1860 / granted Royal Charter 1910].Institution of Gas Engineers [1863 / 1929].Royal Aeronautical Society [1866 / 1949].Institute of Materials [1869 / 1933].Institution of Electrical Engineers [1871 / 1921].Institution of Mining Engineers [1889 / 1915].Institute of Marine Engineers [1889 / 1973].Institution of Mining and Metallurgy [1892 / 1915].Institution of Water and Environmental Management [1895 / 1995].Institution of Building Services Engineers [1897 / 1976].© Engineering Council UK 2004