A report out today from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) skills review group says that members need to devote more time and resources to continuous professional development (CPD). It says appropriate learning resources need to be made available to ensure that civil engineers keep up with technical advances and developments.
While it seems that the professional skills report could have been written any time in the last 30 years – repeating the perennial call for civil engineers to improve their soft skills of management and communication, and urging wider access routes into the profession – the suggestion that civil engineers are lacking in technical knowledge through failure to commit to continuous professional development should sound alarm bells within the profession.
Ed McCann, ICE vice-president and chair of its skills review group, said: “Our review has found that today’s civil engineers need a greater breadth of skills, including understanding of other disciplines and soft skills. However, practical knowledge and skills remain vitally important ingredients in a civil engineer’s make-up. A culture of continuous learning needs to be embedded more deeply in the profession to ensure that individuals can meet skills requirements throughout their careers.”
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