A new resource aimed at helping young engineers plan and deliver infrastructure for international development, poverty alleviation and a sustainable future was launched in Wales today (14 November) by First Minister Carwyn Jones and ICE.
left to right: Tom Wilcock; Keith Jones, Director ICE Wales Cymru; Rt Hon Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales; Geoff Ogden, Chairman ICE Wales Cymru; Charles Ainger. Photo by Betina Skovbro Photography
The online toolkit - developed by past ICE President Paul Jowitt and twelve young civil engineers who worked closely with him as apprentices - provides wide-ranging advice and responses to the challenges faced by engineers delivering infrastructure for the future.
Charles Ainger FICE, who led a team of industry professionals tutoring the young engineers, said working with the young engineers who will shape the new generation of civil engineering had been inspiring:
“Civil engineers have a vital role to play in promoting sustainable development to the public, Government and within industry, taking responsibility for and raising awareness of the impact that unsustainable construction will have on our future and the future of our planet.”
He continued: “We can literally build the world out of poverty and away from an environmental crisis with carefully planned and developed infrastructure. This toolkit is a guide to how to achieve this balance at every stage of delivering infrastructure projects worldwide.”
First Minister Carwyn Jones said:
“We all recognise that infrastructure development can have a huge impact on economic development both here in Wales and overseas.
“That is why this is such an exciting initiative because it will help us deliver the infrastructure projects of the future. It will be a valuable source of information for engineers working here in Wales, while also helping engineers delivering vital infrastructure projects in less developed countries all around the world.
“This work reflects the conscious choice of Wales to be an outward facing nation that confidently recognises the contribution we can make to the world.”
The toolkit is the first of its kind, and will act as a quick reference for engineers worldwide. It mirrors project delivery planning, covering four crucial stages:
1. Policy
Sustainable development needs to focus on reducing the impact of urban society impacts as well as providing communities with effective infrastructure services such as safe water and sanitation, and access to energy and transport.
2. Planning
It is during this phase of the infrastructure cycle that decisions are made as to what is to be constructed or maintained and at what cost. This is the stage where decisions need to be made that lead to sustainable and maintainable infrastructure.
3. Implementation
The design of infrastructure needs to be fit for purpose and also contribute to sustainable development.
4. In-use
The in-use phase of the infrastructure life cycle is critical and often where infrastructure projects fail. The use of appropriate technology and local, trained labour increases infrastructure reliability and resilience. It also boosts local economic development so that infrastructure services become affordable and can generate an adequate maintenance budget.
Tom Wilcock shared his experiences of working on the toolkit at the launch:
“The energy and diversity of the apprentices, combined with expert input made producing the toolkit an eye-opening and humbling experience. I hope we have captured the complexity of delivering infrastructure but also the creativity of the people working in this sector.
The toolkit highlights that effective development requires technical knowhow but also sensitivity to local needs and broader social, economic and political drivers. Through working on the toolkit I recognise that engineers in the UK have a lot to offer but even more to learn. Hopefully the toolkit is a step in this direction”
Tom was one of the twelve “president’s apprentices” drawn from all corners of the globe including the UK, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, China and Hong Kong (see full details on each in notes to editors). Working closely with Paul Jowitt, they visited and studied a number of infrastructure development projects in South Africa and attended a series of training workshops in London and at UNESCO HQ in Paris. They were tutored by several leading industry professionals led by the principal tutors Charles Ainger and Ron Watermeyer, both Fellows of the Institution, to help them formulate the final toolkit.
View the full toolkit here www.ice.org.uk/patoolkit