An Engine for Change - A Chronicle of the Engineering Council

158A CHRONICLE OF THE ENGINEERING COUNCILOctober – December 1999The Hawley Working Group’s first stage, planned for completion within three months byJanuary 2000, was to agree the strategy objectives for the next three years. The second stage,to be completed by July 2000, would develop a strategy to achieve these objectives.On 12 November 1999 the DTI issued a press release having arranged a meeting specificallyto brief the key players on the purposes of the Hawley Review and to seek their support. Butprogress was not without difficulties. On 25 November a joint letter was sent to the Ministerfrom the EEF and EMTA after they had met with Dr Hawley at the Minister’s request. EEFand EMTA stated that they were happy to co-operate in this Review but “still remainedcautious of any move which seeks to establish a single voice for the engineering communityor one which might interpose a further rung in the communication chain to Government”. Butcuriously they added their understanding of the Minister’s position “that the EngC is notseeking to extend its remit into areas beyond its current areas of competency” when, ofcourse, such an extension was exactly what Dr Hawley was proposing. EEF and EMTA alsorestated their disappointment (to put it no higher) not to be included in the Hawley WorkingGroup that was confined to EngC and DTI representatives. They specifically wanted an‘industrialist’ to be included in the Working Group and when it was pointed out that DrHawley was one, the response was “No - he’s an academic !”. Although Dr Hawley agreedto the suggestion that there could be an ‘industrial advisor’, in the event nothing came of this.The initial work of the Hawley Group was presented to, and endorsed by, the EngC Senate on9 December 1999. At that point it seemed that the Hawley Group’s line of thinkingdovetailed excellently with what was already going on; indeed, in parallel with implementingthe Activity Review, internal restructuring, particularly aimed at more effective promotionand communication of the profession, was proceeding apace. Early in 2000, a new Directorof Communications and Marketing, David Worskett, had been appointed to take over thenewly combined Directorates of Public Affairs and Promotion. The aim was to give renewedimpetus to the EngC’s faltering PR effort that had seriously deteriorated since the days ofRon Kirby. This new appointment was intended to allow improvements in the promotion ofengineering to proceed alongside the ongoing work towards a more harmonious relationshipwith the professional Institutions. However, it was perceived that such improvements mightnot be possible unless there were changes in the governance of the Council itself to give theInstitutions - and other elements of the community – a greater sense of ownership of its roleand activitiesFebruary 2000The Hawley Stage 1 Report was given to the Minister on 26 January who then held a meetingwith the Working Group. The Report was published in February 2000 with StrategicObjectives of:• Promoting the understanding of Engineering and its contribution to the knowledgebased economy and sustainable development.• Developing communication channels with the engineering community in order toestablish commitment to the ultimate goal.• Encouraging consensus.• Acting as a forum• Establishing the competences that engineers need in the knowledge-based economy© Engineering Council UK 2004