Letter to the Editor: ‘Industry developments’
I have read the April 2023 issue of Civil Engineering Surveyor with considerable interest and enjoyment, as well as with the bewilderment that I sometimes experience these days when reading about developments in the industry that I knew like the proverbial back of my hand for many years.
A couple of articles in particular initially brought to my mind the old saying ‘Le plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose’ and the first of these was the president’s column in which he raised the question of robots and artificial intelligence changing the role of the surveyor.
Back in November 1974, there was an article in this journal (as it then was) which looked into the use of computers in quantity surveying (also as it then was).
That was of course at a time when a computer with a fraction of the power that my mobile phone now has would fill a large room and when AI was something that only farmers used, to maintain the headcount of their livestock.
Since then, the traditional skills of taking off, working up, abstracting, etc. have largely been made obsolete by computers but the quantity surveyor has remained the master of the new technology and has used it to take the more tedious aspects of the job out of the role, leaving more time to deal with other matters relevant to re-badging as a commercial manager.
Hopefully in another 49 years or so, we will be able to look back at Andy’s comments with similar satisfactionHopefully in another 49 years or so, we will be able to look back at Andy’s comments with similar satisfaction.
I then came to the announcement that the EDI Council is to change its name (but not its acronym) and my first thought was that it was reminiscent of re-arranging the deckchairs of The Titanic and to some extent this thought was strengthened when I turned the page to read Lauren Holland’s piece on the TLC.
Setting aside the fact that this is also a change of name and that the very existence of the 2040 Forum had thereto escaped my notice, I went on to read the article and a myriad of memories flooded back from my active days in the institution when I was full of ideas and aspirations.
These included the encouragement of young members, female members and those from ethnic groups to attend Council of Management meetings and to generally get involved in institution affairs and activities.
It is with great pleasure and perhaps just a little pride that I have lived to see many of my dreams from those days materialise as the institution has gone from strength to strength.
I wish the TLC every success although I am a little uncomfortable with the acronym because of its existing meaning. Tender, loving care may well be appropriate but perhaps just a touch twee? I wonder if the TLC could in fact absorb the EDI, such a merger being potentially beneficial to both groups.
Finally, I return to Civil Engineering Surveyor and its announcement that the search is on for a candidate for the presidential succession. Back in 1997 when I was addressing a regional meeting in Nottingham, I was asked how long I thought it would be before the institution had a female president.
My answer that night was ‘about fifteen years’ so my estimate is already over a decade out. Perhaps then, I may be permitted to suggest a name to add to the list as soon as possible and that is Lauren Holland.
Graham Woodall FCInstCES Past President