Member Article

NE pride in landmarks to encourage engineering careers

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East has called for local pride to continue in icons such as the Tyne bridge and Angel of the North.

ICE has encouraged the North East to use events that celebrate regional landmarks to “inspire and educate young people”, after the success of NewcastleGateshead Bridges Festival in August which attracted thousands of people to the quayside.

John Jeffrey, the Chairman of ICE North East said: ““NewcastleGateshead Bridges Festival, and last year’s Transporter Bridge centenary celebrations, were just the kind of events we need to see more of in the North East.

“The bridges demonstrate a history of innovation on Tyneside and Teesside, each showing the best of the engineering of their age.

“What’s more, events such as these help to inspire and educate young people about the career paths which can help them to become the people who landscape our region’s future.”

North East monuments and buildings could play a part in encouraging young people into engineering jobs, and Mr Jeffrey emphasised the region’s key role in the civil engineering sector.

He said: ““Civil engineering is a discipline that has shaped the North East, giving us iconic skylines and easy access to the rest of the world.

“Whether you view a bridge as a thing of great beauty, as excellent engineering, or just a bridge, it’s hard to deny that civil engineering has increased the accessibility, efficiency and functionality of the region.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .