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The Problem with Engineering - it isn't Rocket Science!

Professor Kel Fidler, Chairman of the UK Engineering Council

Gayton Lecture – 16th February 2011

‘Why is engineering so misunderstood and under-appreciated in Britain?’ was the underlying theme of Harrow High School’s first Gayton Centenary Lecture last week. The audience, which included the Mayor, leading councillors, school governors, students and staff (past and present), heard distinguished former pupil Professor Kel Fidler, Chairman of the UK Engineering Council, speaking on The Problem with Engineering – It isn’t Rocket Science!

Professor Fidler attended Harrow County School between 1955 and 1962. Before the lecture he was met by headteacher Paul Gamble and the senior staff, and he enjoyed a relaxed tour of the school to see the many changes that have taken place there since his schooldays.

Prof. Fidler’s lecture focussed on the ways in which engineering is so often overlooked and even mislabelled in this country, today. Achievements in the field of engineering are mistakenly ascribed to other specialisms, especially science. He explained that engineers design practical processes, machinery, building works, which enrich our lives, create safety, enhance health. This contrasts with the stereotype some people have of engineering as a relatively narrow field of endeavour involving ‘people with oily rags’. He emphasised the need to recognise the many types of engineering such as: civil, chemical, electronic, bio-medical, aeronautical and even ‘design and manufacture’ engineering. The skills learned during professional training also enable engineers to move easily into management and leadership roles in every type of industry.

Britain has been a major world leader in engineering from the Industrial Revolution through to the twenty-first century. The development of early industrial processes, railways, modern bridge building, through to computers and the internet were all triumphs of British engineering. But now British interest in careers in engineering is in marked decline. Prof. Fidler spoke passionately about the need for UK schools to help all their students to understand how rewarding, enjoyable and fulfilling careers in engineering are, and to give them the educational tools to pursue these careers). The government and society at large need to understand the role of engineering and to give it greater prominence and the recognition it deserves.

Our media presenters and commentators often describe modern engineering achievements such as space probes, megastructures and microprocessors as the work of scientists, when it is engineers who design and create them. We must educate the media to give engineering its due.

The most telling example he gave of the confusion of science with engineering was a brochure that promotes Newcastle as one of the six ‘Science Cities’ in the country, created so in 2005. The brochure highlights ‘scientific achievements’ over the past 150 years or so, and the men and women behind them, with quotes from several on its last page. But they were all engineering achievements, and the quotes were all from engineers - all but one were described incorrectly in the brochure as ‘scientists’.

The need to reverse this invisibility of engineering is clearly very important to Prof. Fidler as it should be to all of us, to increase the number of engineers in our society and to secure British competitiveness in the future. His illustrated presentation, seriously factual but continually amusing, was well appreciated by the audience, not least his light-hearted reference to a comment made by fellow Old Gaytonian Sir Paul Nurse who had commented on TV that “everything around us was the result of science”. “No it wasn’t” retorted Prof. Fidler, “it was engineering”.

After an interval, during which drinks were provided, Prof. Fidler answered questions from the audience. Thanks were given by Dr Keith Baker, chairman of the centenary committee, and Keith Adamson, who is the organiser of the Gayton Centenary Lectures.

Prof Fidler’s lecture set a high standard for this series of lectures by distinguished speakers, all former students of the School. The next will be held on 21st May 2011 when Sir Nigel Sheinwald, British Ambassador to the USA will speak on From Gayton Road to Pennsylvania Avenue: education, diplomacy and the special relationship.

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