The spectacular London 2012 Olympic Torch is but a smouldering memory, however the public’s appreciation for the UK construction and engineering industry showcase that is the Olympic Park seems to be burning bright.The successful delivery of the £7-billion worth Olympic infrastructure has raised the public profile of civil engineers and people working in the trades. According to a new survey published by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) over half of the public (53%) no longer just think about bridges when they think of civil engineering in the light of the London 2012 Olympic Games.More than 46,000 jobs were created as a result of the London 2012 construction project. Post-Olympic work, currently taking place, is expected to create thousands of extra new jobs. Nearly half of the 2,000 people who took part in the ComRes survey said they would consider civil engineering to be a ‘respected’ profession, alongside jobs such as lawyers and teachers.
Forty-five percent of the people who participated in the survey say they would consider civil engineering to be a ‘respected’ profession, alongside jobs such as lawyers and teachers. Over a third (38%) of the participants said they would encourage their children to pursue a career in civil engineering.ICE President Richard Coackley said: “Our day-to-day lives depend on the infrastructure around us that is designed, built and maintained by civil engineers – from roads, railways and bridges to energy, water and waste networks.
“It forms the backbone of society and the economy. But unfortunately it is often only when things go wrong that the work of civil engineers is thrust into the media spotlight.
“The London 2012 Games have changed this – showcasing and celebrating the work of these often ‘unsung heroes’ while at the same time helping the public understand more about what civil engineers do and what a diverse and exciting career it is.
“If anything could excite and inspire young people to pursue civil engineering as a career it’s the Olympic and Paralympic Games – a true feat of engineering in every sense.”
A good news story for once…
In this edition of Construction Magazine we Spotlight Health & Safety and how policies are integrated into the real world of day-to-day construction practices. We look at the pros and cons of ground source heat pumps as a viable method of heating green buildings, and Fast Track Marc Pritchard of Taylor Wimpey España to find out about how the industry is fairing on the Costas.
There’s a brief summary of some of the most exciting European construction equipment launches and get your diary and your passport ready for our digest of construction events happening around the world this month.
All this, along with profiles on some of the industry’s strongest performing firms and the usual round up of UK & Ireland and World news and meet some of the newest industry appointments in Head Hunters.
Heather Campbell
Editor
